Essential Install May 2022 by All Things Media

Essential_Install_FRONT_COVER_2022_PRINT.pdf

26/04/2022

14:35

MAY 2022

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

CMY

PROGRAMMING AND COMMISSIONING BEST OF BOTH?

LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

A BRIGHT FUTURE

SONUS FABER

AUDIO ARTISAN

NEW PRODUCT

HDBaseT™ Matrix with Advanced Audio Integration We are pleased to announce the launch of three feature rich HDBaseT™ Matrix, the HMXL88ARC, HMXL66ARC and HMXL42ARC-KIT. Using CSC technology, these powerful HDBaseT™ matrix support 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 resolutions over distances of 40m over a single CAT 6 cable. The new HMXL42ARC-KIT, HMXL66ARC and HMXL88ARC come into their own with advanced audio features specifically designed for maximising the integration of all AV sources in the modern home. Enhanced audio routing is achieved through the integrated independent audio matrix. This enables the audio both from displays (via ARC) and all other sources to be embedded and routed through the system at the users discretion. These ARC and audio routing features enable our installation partners the ability to create a truly immersive AV experience throughout the home.

NEW

HMXL88ARC 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC ARC Matrix

NEW

HMXL66ARC 6x6 HDBaseT™ CSC ARC Matrix

HDCP 2.2

J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering distribution of video and audio over a single CAT cable J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI 2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR J 26 x 8 Audio Matrix independently controllable from the video

HMXL42ARC-KIT

HDCP 2.2

J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering distribution of video and audio over a single CAT cable J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI 2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR J 20 x 6 Audio Matrix independently controllable from the video

NEW

4x2 HDBaseT™ CSC ARC Matrix including Receivers J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering distribution of video and audio over a single CAT cable J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI 2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR J 8 x 2 audio matrix that is independently controllable from video.

HDCP 2.2

NEW

UNCOMPRESSED

18Gbps

PRODUCT

OVER

Uncompressed 18Gbps HDMI Over HDBaseT™ Set The HEX18G-KIT HDBaseT™ extender set is an industry leading uncompressed HDMI 2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 HDCP 2.2 solution utilising the

HEX18G-KIT

latest in HDBaseT™ technology. The HEX18G-KIT supports bi-directional IR, RS-232 and PoC up to lengths of 100m over a single CAT cable.

NEW

HEX70ARC-KIT HDBaseT™ ARC Extender Set - 70m J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering uncompressed video and audio with zero latency J Extends HDMI 1080p up to a distance of 70m over a single CAT cable J Supports 4K UHD video up to 40m (3840 x 2160 @30Hz 4:4:4, 4096 x

2160 @24Hz 4:4:4, and 4K @60Hz 4:2:0)

1080p up to 150m

HEX100CS-KIT

HEX150CS-KIT

HDBaseT™ CSC Extender Set -100m

HDBaseT™ CSC Extender Set - 150m

J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering CSC scaling with zero latency

J Supports ARC from display via HDMI and optical digital inputs

J Supports 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 UHD video up to 70m

J Supports 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 UHD video up to 100m

Become a Certified Blustream Installation Partner

Interactive Online Tutorials We have re-designed our regular interactive online tutorials, focused on providing convenient, bite sized insights into the latest Blustream solutions and the day to day challenges we all currently face in our rapidly evolving market. During these unprecedented times, we have increased both the content and frequency of the sessions we are hosting to bring you the most comprehensive range of interactive webinar content available in the UK.

Our UK Address: The Service Station,

Tel: +44 (0)115 824 7000

J Video over IP vs HDBaseT - which should you back?

Melton Road, Hickling Pastures,

Email: sales@blustream.co.uk

J with 10 more courses to choose from...

Nottinghamshire,

Web: www.blustream.co.uk

Current Tutorials Available

J Specifying a Custom Pro Matrix with 18Gbps support

J CAT Cable Certification & Verification J When is 4K, Actually 4K?

Book now at J www.blustream.co.uk

LE14 3QG United Kingdom.

44 18

35 50

CONTENTS

May 2022

4 FROM THE EDITOR’S CHAIR

40 EI LIVE! EUROPE

7 ESSENTIAL NEWS

58 SMART THINKING

14 BLUSTREAM BONANZA

60 COMMENTS AND OPINION

16 TOGETHER FOR CINEMA

66 ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY

18 PULSE CINEMAS

75 ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS

Shows, not show!

Hot, hip happenings

Check out the ISE offering Marathon Man

Open Days deliver!

Connecting the dots for Homes of Tomorrow How to do modular Superfans!

The Smart Trilogy Showroom

Heavenly hardware, serious software

20 ESSENTIAL HABITECH Wall to wall magic!

Celebrating 10 years www.avoke.co.uk | av@avoke.co.uk

60 20 14 Proud Media Partners of

FEATURES

36 CONNECTED DISTRIBUTION We love it loud, but we love it good

LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL 22 SNAPONE 24 FEAR OF THE DARK!

PROGRAMMING AND COMMISSIONING 44 BACKING BESPOKE?

30 THE LIGHTING CONVERSATION

50 SONUS FABER

Lighting illuminated

Anthony Parkinson, Technical Manager at Ansell Lighting Phillip Pini, Director of Residential Sales UK at Crestron

Cliff Stammers, founder Clever Rooms An exclusive trip to a true artisan

32 MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES Peter Broome, Director at Rako

35 JANUS

Circadian rhythms

of working with you! www.avoke.co.uk | av@avoke.co.uk

Essential_Install_FRONT_COVER_2022_PRINT.pdf

26/04/2022

14:35

MAY 2022

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

pages 20–21 C

CMY

PROGRAMMING AND COMMISSIONING

MAY

SMART AWARDS AND EI LIVE!, EI LIVE! EUROPE AND REVIEWS ‘Without change something sleeps inside us’ someone once said, and it’s a concept EI has always found to be appealing and true. With this in mind, the whole team has been busy recently, bringing to market some old favourites and something completely new. First up, the Smart Building Awards are back in their full bloodied glory with our judging panel being gathered as EI writes like knights returning to the round table to tell tales of deeds good and true. We can’t wait to see what products, projects and services are entered this year to be announced (of course) at the end of the first day of the returning EI Live! 2022. The website (smartbuildingawards.com) has all the information you need to get involved ahead of the awards night itself on September 14 at the popular venue of the Village Hotel, Farnborough, a short distance away from the venue for EI Live! Categories remain pretty much unchanged from before, but check to see your favourites are there and get entering, and also don’t forget to book your tickets to be there on the night!

SHOWS NOT SHOW

If you have been keeping your eyes on the sky for industry news this month, you may well have noticed the announcement of a new sister show for EI Live!, EI Live! Europe. The concept is simple, recreate the affordable resi-installer-friendly format of the UK show in Europe, where there is demand. This is very much an ‘as well as’ not ‘instead of’ scenario. UK installers can get something out of going to both shows for sure, however installers in Europe now have their own dedicated resi show in the popular and very accessible venue of Amsterdam. This event is being created in partnership with industry veteran Wim De Vos (Owner of the free industry online education platform HT University Online) as well as leading value-add distribution company

04 MAY 2022

Genesis Home Technology Architects. Wim will be leading the charge with a multi-lingual programme of education. Brexit, what Brexit? Get all the details of EI’s very own channel spanning initiative at eiliveeurope.com, the show will take place at The Passenger Terminal in the centre of Amsterdam (October 18-19 2022). The old war horse that is EI Live! now in its 11th year, is stamping at the ground and waiting to charge into view to make its appearance at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre on September 14-15. Riding on its metaphorical back will be a whole host of CI and AV goodies with learning opportunities aplenty, filling integrators with enough info to fuel their next projects with aplomb. All the info you need is on the show’s website. Another favourite is also returning too as our EI Reviews section comes rushing back very soon. The fully equipped demonstration space that EI uses has recently been fully upgraded and awaits its first contenders with eager anticipation. Stand by for more information. All the shows and the awards are open for registration, get on board and join us in celebrating and learning more about this fantastic industry and if you have a product you think we should review, let us know!

BEST OF BOTH?

LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

SONUS FABER

AUDIO ARTISAN

A BRIGHT FUTURE

GETTING IN TOUCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Daniel Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Beatrice Lee, beatrice@allthingsmedialtd.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com

GROUP AD MANAGER

Claire Talty, claire@allthingsmedialtd.com

PUBLISHER

David Kitchener, david@allthingsmedialtd.com

STUDIO MANAGER

Mark Weller, mark@allthingsmedialtd.com

ACCOUNTS

susan@allthingsmedialtd.com

Essential Install magazine, Suite 14, 6-8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Chatham, Kent ME5 8UD T: +44 (0)1634 673163 F: +44 (0)1634 673173 www.essentialinstall.com

SOCIALS /INSTALL_MAG /ESSENTIALINSTALL Whilst we make every effort that everything printed in Essential Install magazine is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur. All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.

Proud Media Partners of

Security Solutions

When price matters.

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NEWS

NEWS KNX PARTNERS EI LIVE! EUROPE Europe’s new residential-focused AV, automation and home cinema event, EI Live! Europe announces as main partner - one of Europe’s most popular automation organisations, KNX International. Building on the success of the EI Live! UK event - now in its 11th year and recognised as the UK’s only national trade show for the industry - EI Live! Europe, from the same stable, was launched to great fanfare recently and has already attracted a dream headline partner for the event. Recognised across Europe as one of the most powerful operators in the market, KNX boasts considerable marketing muscle and influence to help drive the show and make its first outing at the Passenger Terminal in the centre of Amsterdam from 18-19 October a big success. Hundreds of brands and companies help to build the KNX story creating smart building products across the areas of lighting, shutter control, security, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, monitoring, alarming, water control, energy management, IoT Solutions, ETS apps, and metering, as well as household appliances and audio. KNX, in turn, supports KNX installers with a wide range of training programmes delivered via KNX Training Centres. Each KNX certified training centre has adopted the KNX Association’s Certification Scheme for KNX training, offering standardised courses in which installers can obtain the KNX Partner certificate.

As well as promoting the show right across Europe and encouraging KNX manufacturers and installers to attend, KNX will leverage its experience to bring a major training and certification programme to the show, adding huge value to the event. David Kitchener, Managing Director of All Things Media and EI Live! Show Director, comments, “Obviously before launching this event across Europe we had in mind certain companies and organisations that we wanted to get involved, and early discussions had begun. Naturally, with the format of the show and what we are trying to achieve, KNX was very high on our list of organisations we wanted to be involved. We are delighted that they have decided to come on board as the main partner for the show, underlining the validity of the concept. We are excited to begin working with this key operator for the European market, making our very first EI Live! Europe a big success.” Wim De Vos, partnering the European show and heading up the education and training for the event, will be working closely with KNX to maximise the organisation’s training and conference offering. Check out the full event details at the show’s website. EI Live! Europe eiliveeurope.com

Why you should be working with Savant 1

Exquisite whole-home automation 2 Simple set-up and powerful capabilities 3

Intuitive lighting 4

Hi-resolution audio and video in any room 5

Beautiful dynamic control

Find out more at rgbcomms.co.uk

A dream partner for EI Live! Europe

13–14 Headlands Trading Estate Headlands Grove Swindon, Wilts SN2 7JQ T. 01488 73366

MAY 2022 07

NEWS

PULSE CINEMAS OPENS ALCONS HOME CINEMA EXPERIENCE Alcons Audio have been promoting the new Reference Cinema built around its technology at Pulse Cinemas. Shortly after the two companies signed a distribution agreement, Pulse Cinemas set about building a professional demo room at company HQ, Stansted, Essex to bring the Alcons Audio pro-ribbon audio system to the British home cinema market. Alcons Audio says home cinema installers and their customers in the UK can now experience the great sound of Alcons CRMS-series in a perfect home cinema demo setting. The maker says the Cinema Reference Monitor Systems offer the most natural 1:1 sound reproduction possible, with outstanding audio quality and a unique digital dynamics capability. The fully matched screen and surround systems, with identical MF/HF transducer components bring a very uniform sound stage, specifically in immersive surround environments. The 13.4.10 layout provides the only chance in the UK to experience a full Alcons Audio cinema powered by its own Sentinel amps. The unique internal Sentinel10 intelligent amplifiers and The Cinema Reference Monitor Systems allow the audio in this room to reach new levels of precision and power, but Alcons says, it is never mechanical. “The visitor gets a truly unique musical experience, as the makers of the music intended,’ says Kapes Patel, technical director of Pulse Cinemas.

“We have had a phenomenal response so far from the Open Day events we have had,” says Simon Gibbs, Technical Sales Director. Dealers had a lot of great comments about their experience in the well-designed demo room. “After experiencing this at Pulse I have to say this was amazing. I was totally blown away,” says Kieran McGuire, Managing Director at 1 Install. Alcons Audio alconsaudio.com Alcons Audio is full of praise for the Reference Cinema Pulse Cinemas has created

Why you should be working with Savant 1

Exquisite whole-home automation

ANATECH DISTRIBUTION JOINS SPECIFI AND WEQUOTE which offer value for money and good features. We might look at others in the future, if there is similar demand - it’s all about delivering options for our dealers.” WeQuote is billed as the only UK-centric quoting platform with real-time trade pricing from suppliers. Partnered with the UK’s biggest suppliers the platform delivers trade prices, product additions and discontinuations updates every night. The WeQuote platform is also described as being built by an AV and controls integrator in A new recruit for the Specifi and WeQuote platforms

the UK meaning all of the features have been built,

2 Simple set-up and powerful capabilities 3

Intuitive lighting 4

Hi-resolution audio and video in any room 5

Beautiful dynamic control

tried and tested in the field to provide solutions for real-world problems.

Anatech Distribution, UK Distributor for Bluesound and NAD Custom Install high-performance audio products, Audioflow Smart Speaker Switches and Blucube in-ceiling speakers, have announced that their products and pricing has been added to the Specifi and WeQuote proposal generation platforms. According to Keir Livock, Bluesound Brand Manager for Anatech, this is in growing recognition of the demand for these tools. Keir explains, “This doesn’t mean that we necessarily want to push our clients down this road, we’re equally happy to help building quotes ad hoc - it’s just that we’re seeing an increased adoption of these two platforms,

Specifi was created as a complete project management platform designed for the AV industry, beginning life as a platform for a wellknown UK distributor as a tool for their customers.

Find out more at rgbcomms.co.uk

The system allowed customers to build projects as they shopped. In a short amount of time, the software grew to offer pretty much everything an installer could need when quoting a project, and more again. These days the platform is available to all across the AV sector. Anatech Distribution anatech.co.uk

13–14 Headlands Trading Estate Headlands Grove Swindon, Wilts SN2 7JQ T. 01488 73366

MAY 2022 09

NEWS

EARTH DAY: MQA RAISES AWARENESS AND CALLS FOR INNOVATION While it’s easy to understand the carbon footprintrelated effects of physical formats such as CD and vinyl, MQA points out that many people don’t realise that music streaming also has an environmental impact. More people are streaming more music than ever before. At the end of 2021, the number of paid subscription accounts worldwide had reached 523m, according to global music industry body IFPI (an increase of 18% on the previous year’s tally of 443m paying subscribers). Alongside the growth in streaming, artists and record labels are increasingly recording and releasing music in higher quality to ensure fans have access to the best listening experience. Speaking during a values-based panel at music industry conference NY:LON Connect earlier this year, MQA’s CEO Mike Jbara urged for more innovation, “As major music services upgrade their audio quality, we have to think about how that audio should move around to consumers, and how you get better quality with a smaller carbon footprint.” According to AudienceNet research, there is a marked difference between the UK and US when it comes to views on the future of the environment. In the UK, only 19% thought the environment would get better, versus 26% in the US. Another aspect of the research revealed that consumers increasingly expect brands to show a social conscience. Younger generations

in particular are looking at brands as a vehicle for actively supporting social causes. A centrally hosted model, such as proposed by the Vilvit project, is one area where the industry could act collectively to increase efficiency. As highlighted in industry discussions by Mike Jbara, “We have DSPs all over the world, all of whom have their own data stores, and they’re often holding onto the same sound recording base asset as everybody else, rather than a central repository. It’s a very specific example of what could be changed structurally in our industry.” MQA is the technology behind TIDAL (Masters) and reduces the carbon footprint of high-resolution audio files by as much as 80% and makes resolution 15 times better. MQA mqa.co.uk MQA says that annual savings from one person streaming 24/192 files on TIDAL (Masters) vs Apple or Amazon for 6 hrs/day equates to five return flights London/Berlin

Bespoke Blinds

PMC CREATES DOLBY ATMOS CINEMA DEMONSTRATION FACILITY PMC is excited to announce the completion of a new state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos home cinema within its Holme Court headquarters. Created to showcase the company’s dedicated installation loudspeakers, the 22 square metre cinema will be used to demonstrate to custom installation, retail and global distribution customers. Conceived by Ian Sutton, Director of PMC Distribution UK, the vision was to create a space in which PMC could invite its clients from around the world to experience the very best that can be achieved in a home cinema environment. The new Holme Court facility is the perfect place to demonstrate cinema sound for home installations, with the same stunning dynamics and awe-inspiring realism experienced in the leading studios. To achieve this the company enlisted the services of Guy Singleton, owner of Imagine This who’s role was to take over a space within the Georgian mansion, that has been PMCs head office since 2014, and overcome the obstacles a building of this age presents to produce an acoustically and aesthetically perfect cinema space. The build incorporates three of the flagship ci140 speakers plus two ci140 subs for the front LCR channel duties, mounted behind the acoustically transparent screen, in a very sturdy and inert baffle wall which is built to THX standards. Surround duties in the 9.1.6 cinema are shared between six of the ci65 models for the walls, with

six ci30s mounted in the ceiling for the height channels. And, while this is designated as a .1 LFE installation, there are actually three subwoofers in operation (in addition to the two ci140 subs). Two of the company’s active PMC SUB 2s are mounted in the front wall beneath the screen, with a passive XB3 mounted underneath the rear seating stage area. Many other companies were involved in the supply of product for the PMC cinema including Barco for the Balder 4K Laser projector, Acoustic GRG Products for the acoustic treatment and fabric walls, Kordz for the cabling, Crestron for the control system and Acoustic Innovations for the seating. PMC pmc-speakers.com

Designed and manufactured in the UK, QMotion Blinds go beyond industry standards to reach new heights in innovation. With no power or control wires required, integrators or end users can effortlessly install a fully motorised and intelligently controlled shading system without the need for using electricians or specialist installers.

Contact the experts at RGB today to find out more.

rgbcomms.co.uk or call us today on

01488 73366 RGB Head Office, 13–14 Headlands Trading Estate, Headlands Grove, Swindon, SN2 7JQ

The PMC Cinema is now complete and will be welcoming its first visitors soon

MAY 2022 11

30/03/2021 13:5

NEWS

ABB PARTNERS WITH SAMSUNG TO DRIVE HOLISTIC SMART BUILDING TECHNOLOGY ABB and Samsung Electronics will collaborate in a global partnership to provide jointly developed technologies for energy saving, energy management, and the smart Internet of Things (IoT) connection of both residential and commercial buildings. Buildings generate almost 40% of annual global CO2 emissions, and the partnership between the two companies will create a platform to build a long-term relationship for innovation on smart technology, smart control, and smart devices. The collaboration will enable Samsung and ABB to expand customer access to home automation technologies and better device management, whilst facilitating electricity load shifting. By connecting the Samsung SmartThings application and ABB home automation solutions, residents will be able to use their personal devices to monitor and manage a full spectrum of white goods, as well as gas and smoke sensors, energy, security, and comfort systems from a single application. Proactively managing appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines to operate off-peak, for example, assures grid optimisation and lower energy costs. Mike Mustapha, President at ABB Smart Buildings, commented, “We imagine a future where

our customers can benefit from significant carbon and energy savings by further improving access to fully integrated and holistic, smart building technology. Partnering with a major technology innovation leader like Samsung Electronics further supports ABB’s vision and offering to connect whole buildings with open and agnostic solutions, and to deliver insights on total energy consumption, including elements such as electric vehicle (EV) charging. This not only minimises the carbon footprint from the built environment but delivers a seamless and engaging user experience.” ABB global.abb A powerful new partnership between ABB and Samsung

AAMP ACQUIRES AUDIOCONTROL AAMP Global has acquired AudioControl, known worldwide for high-performance audio solutions engineered for the automotive, residential and commercial markets. As part of AAMP Global, AudioControl’s Seattlebased design, engineering, and manufacturing operations will continue providing innovative audio solutions to dealers worldwide, leveraging the strength of AAMP’s best-in-class vehicle solutions. Based in Seattle, WA for over 45 years, AudioControl will continue to provide premium entertainment solutions to automotive aftermarket installers, professional audio/video specialists and home technology integrators. “As an engineering-based provider of premium entertainment solutions supported by award-winning service, AudioControl is a natural fit as part of the AAMP Global brand,” said President and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Forst. “These core competencies combined with AAMP’s unique vehicle integration capabilities and best-in-class service will help to position us as a leader in the core audio market. Alex and team will be driving this exciting initiative and we couldn’t be more pleased to welcome them to the AAMP family.” AAMP’s President of North America, Herb Brown, stated, “We believe embedding our vehicle integration platform with AudioControl’s world-class electronics, will be game-changing for the industry.” AudioControl CEO, Alex Camara, will join the AAMP Global leadership team, heading the organization’s audio growth strategy for the automotive and residential businesses. AudioControl’s award-winning residential, commercial, and home theatre products, sold and installed by home theater

12 MAY 2022

specialists and professional installers, will benefit from access to AAMP Global technology platforms under the continued guidance of AudioControl’s current management team. “We are excited to bring our industry-leading audio products across all the channels we serve to the AAMP Global brand,” said Alex Camara, CEO of AudioControl. “We have experienced an unprecedented level of growth over recent years, and by joining with the team at AAMP Global, we will have the resources to maintain that trajectory, quicken our product development roadmap, and expand operations to best serve our customers, and continue making good sound great!” AudioControl audiocontrol.com

AAMP’s Scott Forst

Make it Real We’re proud to be adding the StormAudio brand of cinema processing and amplification to our luxury home cinema lineup.

Visit habitech.co.uk for further information. www.habitech.co.uk | 01256 638500 | sales@habitech.co.uk

ESSENTIAL BLUSTREAM

A NEW BEGINNING After an absence of two years, the Blustream team brings readers fully up to date on what can be experienced from the company at ISE 2022 in Barcelona. After a two-year absence, the industry finally welcomes back ISE to the calendar this month. This year’s event was originally scheduled for February but unfortunately the recent Omicron variant put pay to that. A last-minute date reshuffle later and we now have an ISE in the late spring time sunshine of Catalonia. The award-winning Integrated Systems Europe is back and promising to be the springboard into a post COVID world. The team at Blustream have been busy developing several new AV distribution solutions since the last ISE show, and EI caught up with the team to discuss what installers can expect from this year’s event. Martyn Shirley, General Manager at Blustream explains the build-up, “When COVID hit at the beginning of 2020 it gave us genuine time to analyse the market and perfect our new product roadmap. Fast forward two years and we are primed with a market leading line up of both residential and commercial AV distribution solutions. This year’s event is the first time in two years that we will get the opportunity to properly meet our customers and demonstrate our latest products.” The Blustream product range has grown significantly since the brand was introduced in 2014. From an original list of 20 products, the range now boasts over 100 specialist AV distribution solutions. In the last 12 months, the industry has witnessed some significant technology developments that have driven new product development at Blustream. The following is an overview of what new products visitors to ISE can expect to see live at the show.

14 MAY 2022

UNCOMPRESSED 4K 60HZ 4:4:4 AT 18GBPS

the highest possible video resolutions for mission-critical installations. The IP500UHDTZ also provides advanced features including an Industry leading 1Gb Ethernet pass-through, PoE+ and transmission of multiple control and data signals – IR, RS-232, and USB (KVM) – concurrent with audio and video. Martyn comments, “The IP500UHD-TZ 4K transceiver addresses the challenge of flawless, uncompromised AV over IP headon. It’s a simple-to-install yet feature-rich and flexible solution that can be configured as a point of transmission or as a receiver to deliver uncompromised 4K ultra high-definition video over the network infrastructure.” The IP500UHD-TZ also provides advanced features including 1Gb Ethernet pass-through, PoE+ and transmission of multiple control and data signals – IR, RS-232, and USB (KVM) – concurrent with audio and video.

UNCOMPROMISING 4K VIDEO OVER IP AT 18GBPS

NEXT GENERATION HDBASET

Blustream has developed some of the first HDBaseT 3.0 products available in the market. The HEX18G-KIT and HEX18GARC-KIT both deliver uncompressed, unconverted HDMI 2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 HDCP 2.3 resolutions over CAT6A cable up to lengths of 100m. These new solutions are the first to deliver integrators the ability to distribute the highest possible video resolutions over extended distances to critical viewing areas. Aiden Jones, Technical Director at Blustream explains, “Our new uncompressed 18Gbps HDBaseT extenders have really struck a chord with our partners. We have been surprised by the number of applications where integrators now need to deliver dedicated uncompressed 18Gbps standards of 4K. This trend is also helping increase the adoption of CAT6A installations to critical viewing areas.”

Available now, the IP500UHD-TZ is the first 4K 18Gbps Video over IP solution from Blustream. The IP500UHD-TZ delivers 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 video over a 10Gb managed network with zero latency and seamless switching, ensuring

“Video over IP only tells half the story” says Daniel Adams, Technical Projects Director at Blustream. “Our close partnership with HDBaseT has helped build our reputation over several years and its vital to Blustream that we

ESSENTIAL BLUSTREAM

are at the forefront of the evolving HDBaseT platform. At this year’s ISE, Blustream will be premiering its latest Platinum HDBaseT matrix. “Our customers have been waiting for our next generation Platinum matrix for some time. Getting the balance correct between features and price point is vital. We have listened intently to feedback from our UK installer network and are pleased to be revealing the resulting new products at ISE.” The new flagship Platinum 8x8 HDBaseT matrix proudly boasts to be one of the first to have Dolby Atmos and DTS-X downmixing and 18Gbps video support in the same cost effective unit.

USB AND DANTE INTEGRATION

A key market need since the COVID pandemic began is for distributed USB in a residential setting. Installing professional standard PTZ cameras for a virtual office often requires high bandwidth USB2.0 signal distribution. Blustream has developed a range of products that incorporate USB for KVM distribution into of some key HDBaseT and matrix solutions. Another market trend is the increased adoption of Dante networked audio in a residential environment. Daniel explains, “As AV systems get larger and more complex, we are seeing an increased

need for networked audio distribution. We now have Dante integration built into a number of our latest Video over IP, wall plate and signal conversion products. This constantly expanding range of Dante solutions has been very well received both in commercial and residential channels.” For the first time in over two years, get hands on with all the latest products and meet the team at ISE in Barcelona. The show takes place from May 10-14 and the Blustream stand can be found in Hall 2, Stand P200. Blustream blustream.co.uk

MAY 2022 15

ESSENTIAL TOGETHER FOR CINEMA

MARATHON MAN

EI presents an account of the massive effort by Chris Pinder, MD of HDANYWHERE and OneAV, to raise money for Together For Cinema by taking part in the Marathon Des Sables. The Marathon Des Sables (MDS) event consists of a gruelling equivalent of six marathons in six days in the Sahara Desert in heat up to 50°C. Chris explains, “Thank you for reading this article and thanks for letting this challenge capture your attention. That’s exactly the reason why I chose MDS. I felt it was eyebrow-raising enough to get noticed and entice people to donate. And it worked! It worked so well that we exceeded the target to pretty much double! “I received so much support and encouragement from the industry. I’m super grateful to everyone that followed my journey. Thanks to those who liked social media posts and sent supportive comments. Eventually I got to read them all after 10-days without tech in the desert and it was wonderful.” Chris adds, “As for the race itself, well, it was way harder than I expected. I lost 6kg in six-days. It’s hard to describe just what it’s like succinctly but I’ll try. You feel like you’ve been taken captive and sent to a French-run prisoner of war camp on mars. You have no worldly possessions other than your running shoes and your rucksack. And you have to run every day to get your water and reach the next camp. This repeats for six days.

16 MAY 2022

Chris continues, “You think you’ve trained well for it until you realise the terrain is softer than any beach you’ve ran on and your rucksack brutally digs into your shoulders. Every day is a relief when you reach the finish line. But the landscapes are epic, your tent mates and

fellow race comrades are incredible people to share the experience with. And you can see all the stars and hundreds of satellites above you at night. Every day was different. We had sandstorms to contend with, blistering heat, blistered feet, all in all it was a full-on ordeal.

ESSENTIAL TOGETHER FOR CINEMA

“I was so relieved to complete it that I burst into tears after giving it my all on the final race stage. Plus, I knew it was mission accomplished, we had raised the funds promised to Together For Cinema and I had managed to compete (rather than just complete) finishing 158 out of over 1000 race starters. I can’t put it all into words here, but I hope the race video documentary will be a great watch to anyone interested in learning more about my race. Anyone who has donated will be first to receive a link to the video!” Chris completed the race in a time of 34 hours, 43 minutes and 29 seconds. So far the initiative has raised £30,528 for Together For Cinema (TFC).

COMMENT FROM TOGETHER FOR CINEMA As Chris completed his literally marathon task, Ian Morrish founder of TFC, said, “Thank you Chris. My eyes filled with tears when I found out you had finished safe and sound, and my eyes are teary now whilst I write this. What you have achieved is incredible and a lesson and an inspiration to us all. Your determination to complete the course and raise a huge amount of money for a great cause has been amazing and I hold you in the very highest regard.

“By supporting Together For Cinema, you will make a difference to the lives of thousands of children and young adults over the coming years. Bringing the cinema experience into their safe place is a great gift and I thank you on behalf of all those that will never know what you have done to help them.” Ian added, “It’s hard to explain in words how we all feel about what you have achieved, but I know that all of us at ‘Team Pinder’, and the hundreds of extended ‘Team Pinder’ members, supporters and donors, want to thank you for making a difference. ‘Do well’ your girls said, and you did well... Well done Daddy.” There is still time to acknowledge what Chris achieved and help this great cause by donating at https://gofund.me/f0f59b6b. Together For Cinema togetherforcinema.co.uk

MAY 2022 17

ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

SIGN UP FOR PULSE CINEMAS OPEN DAYS! Pulse Cinemas continues with its Open Day initiative, welcoming dealers from across the UK to experience all that is new at the company. With events due to take place on May 25, June 22 and July 6, the company is keen to underline a host of added-value initiatives that can only be experienced by attending its Open Days. “A totally new and unique experience at these events”, explains, Simon Schino, Pulse Cinemas Director of Sales and Marketing, “Is the Dream Engine VR systems, which shows how cinema works and builds real enthusiasm and drive to buy.” The Dream Engine is a unique home cinema, design, demonstration and sales tool that immerses customers in a real time, working home cinema, virtual reality world. Simon explains, “We firmly believe our Dream Engine immersive experience takes the performance and functionality of this sector to new heights. Producing a high-performance VR experience for your customers puts you on trend and able to fully exploit this fantastic technology.” Using a software package exclusively designed for Pulse Cinemas, users experience an environment created just for them or a more general cinema space so they can gain

18 MAY 2022

a clear insight into how these systems work. Showcased within this VR world are different screen sizes, system configurations, and how sound behaves in the space with mind-blowing software that shows how audio moves around a space and how technology can tame and control that sound. On experiencing the system, Ben Goff from CinemaLusso, comments, “Selling acoustics has always been tricky, we know it’s vitally important, but it can be tough to communicate. The ability to visualise room modes and how the subwoofer/seat locations interact will be a game changer.”

DEMONSTRATION PARADISE

Kapes Patel, COO at Pulse Cinemas, says, “Since we opened our re-built home cinema demonstration spaces, we have been saying they are amongst, if not THE best in Europe. The Reference Cinema, Apartment Cinema, Media Room, reception area, in fact almost every inch of Pulse Cinemas HQ now offers something impressive, but most importantly,

achievable in your projects with our support and that of the accomplished brands that we work with.” Working with the company’s in-house interior designer, The Reference cinema showcases that by using Vicoustic’s approach to acoustic treatment, installers cannot just create a room that performs well, but offers the interior design community a new opportunity. Removing the need to compromise for installers and design professionals, the aims of both can be united as Vicoustic delivers audio treatment and an interior design opportunity in one product. Performance wise, Alcons Audio is in alliance with its in-house Sentinel10 intelligent amplifiers, bringing the performance of the very best commercial cinema into the home. A Screen Research Décor Mask screen (with a striking image displayed when at rest) is partnered with Sim2’s HDR DUAL NERO 4S projection system. Kapes argues, “If any install professionals have been waiting to be genuinely impressed by HDR, then you need to see these two systems in harmony together.”

ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

“After experiencing this at Pulse I have to say this was amazing. I was totally blown away,” says Kieran McGuire, Managing Director at 1 Install. A reaction that has been repeated many times over the course of the Open Days so far, says Pulse. Still on the ground-floor, as well as hosting the Dream Engine VR experiences, visitors have been enjoying the Pulse Simulations driving sim experience in the Apartment Cinema. Simon says, “For driving mad customers, these sims offer a fantastically realistic experience with hundreds of ways to deliver different types of cars, tracks and simulated g-force too.” A growth area in home cinema has been the merging of multi-use living spaces with integrated AV. Simon argues, “The Media Room takes visitors inside that world and shows just how good it can be. This space gives Anthem and Paradigm a chance to show what they can do in a home cinema concept as well

as showing how high-concept a media room can be. The media room offers two full blooded home cinema systems, people who experience this space understand that they can have it all, the interior design scheme and furnishings they want, with the best AV equipment also woven into the space.” Visitors have also been enjoying the Sim2 Domino DTV S short-throw projector demo in the reception area which shows how well this concept, when partnered with Screen Research, can deliver high-performance even in high ambient light conditions. The number of experiences on offer has been impressing many visitors with Luke Emmott, Managing Director of Modus Vivendi citing the VR Dream Engine as the most impressive thing about his visit, calling it, “A very useful tool that could prove invaluable for the right type of client.” Luke was also impressed with the cinema demos, saying,

“Both very impressive, particularly hearing the ATMOS track which demonstrates the quality of the audio system in the Reference room particularly well.” Dean Gledhill, Head of Custom Installation at Richer Sounds, also reports a very positive experience, “It was great just to physically meet the people I speak to on email/phone. I feel like I have a better understanding of the team and structure, and who to ask for help. It was clear to see that they’re a very professional, friendly team committed to helping integrators grow their projects, and they have an amazing venue to make sure that happens. I was blown away by the attention to detail of the whole facility. “Both demonstration areas are a stunning sensory sensation! The media room is just a lovely place to relax and I can imagine everyone wishes it was their own living room. The Reference room is just incredible. It effortlessly achieves huge scale, dynamics and precision, whilst not being fatiguing to listen to.” What about the VR? Dean says, “I haven’t come across a better way to convey design considerations to the end user. I’m really looking forward to using this on the next large project.” Mike Beatty, Pulse Cinemas, CEO, sums up, “The Open Days have not just been about technology, all the visitors have enjoyed the friendly, family atmosphere we create here that is part of the Pulse Cinemas offering. From wonderful home cooked food, to a chance to just relax and explore new ideas have been a huge part of the Open Days and this will of course continue. The whole team is on hand, as well as key people from our brands, to facilitate the best and most informative experience possible. “We are celebrating 20 years in business this year and it is my firm belief that one of the reasons we have not just survived but thrived, is because we communicate and this allows us to deliver services that keep us ahead of the curve. Come and see us and I am confident you will find something to take your business forward.” Pulse Cinemas pulsecinemas.com

MAY 2022 19

ESSENTIAL HABITECH

WALL TO WALL MAGIC!

Samsung’s new Micro LED displays now available from Habitech will deliver spellbinding scale and resolution to your best customers, day and night!

Habitech will help you to deliver Samsung’s captivating MicroLED and Neo QLED performance to your customers alongside the newest Frame and Terrace TVs, says Video Solutions Product Manager Jay Brand. The role of TV is changing before our eyes. Driven by the irrepressible energy of Samsung, the everyday video endpoint has become an object of desire, symbolising success as powerfully as the Patek on the wrist or the Ferrari on the drive. Let’s face it, for outright exclusivity and performance, nothing in the resi display oeuvre comes close to Samsung’s sensational Micro LED masterpiece ‘The Wall’. Designed to deliver up to 8K resolution across a seamless 7.5m span, this extraordinary technical and aesthetic tour-de-force has all the chutzpah necessary to inspire the elite consumers that every CI business is targeting. And when the luxury goods market is projected to grow by 23% in the next three years (Statista), Samsung’s dominance of the premium TV sector (currently 44.5% by value) is likely to strengthen further with the arrival of stunning new designs. For the high-calibre customers and installs you’re seeking, Samsung is unquestionably the perfect fit. No other brand can stimulate the sense of desire as effectively, and with Habitech supporting your sales and demonstrations for projects of any size inside and outside the home, no rival team will be as efficient at monetising it. If there’s a reason why you shouldn’t choose Samsung/Habitech as your go-to source for highend CI TV, we can’t think of one!

20 MAY 2022

Just look at where Samsung is pitching its proposition. Of the ultra-large panel (above 80in) market, which continues to grow and remains the focus of all the big TV brands, Samsung carved out a whopping 44.9% value share in 2021. A year on, the global leader in residential display (by any metric) will very deliberately target the luxury TV sector with the technical brilliance and visual magic of new Micro LED displays up to 110in, and Neo QLED designs reaching 98in.

THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF SAMSUNG

And if you’re wondering why Samsung has remained at the top of the global TV market for the last 16 years, the answer is simple: it’s smarter in every way. Samsung’s proprietary Micro LED engineering, for instance, is a gamechanger for display technology. Think of it as an inorganic OLED upgrade. Every Micro LED pixel is the product of a cluster of three tiny self-

The lifestyle 4K QLED Frame TVs with swappable bezels now in 40 new colour options

emissive RGB LEDs, allowing brightness and colour to be controlled precisely at the pixel level, or turned off entirely to create a ‘perfect’ black for maximum contrast and optimum colour. As a result, Micro LED tech generates a bright, contrast-rich display across wide viewing angles similar in many ways to organic OLED panels but with considerably improved brightness, greater power efficiency and longer life. In addition, ‘Black Seal’ and ‘Ultra Chroma’ colour technology ensure industry-leading contrast and colour fidelity, while ‘Quantum HDR’ tech applies advanced HDR picture refinement technologies to render optimum brightness and contrast in every frame. And for seamless scaling, Micro LED design uses AI algorithms within its dynamic ‘Quantum’ processing to auto-upscale all content according to screen size and capabilities. The outcome is as much a status symbol as it is a TV, as far removed from any conventional display as a star ship from a Tiger Moth.

ESSENTIAL HABITECH

Neo QLED is another example of Samsung’s genius at the micro level, yielding astonishing results on the screen. Every Neo QLED display is made up of many thousands of ‘Quantum Mini LEDs’ many times smaller than a conventional LED backlight. Their microscopic size means that many more can be packed into a slimmer display surface, controlled by Samsung’s advanced ‘Quantum Matrix Technology Pro’ and Quantum processing. Consequently, Neo QLED is much brighter than conventional QLED technology, and delivers up to 14bit ‘Shape Adaptive Light’ in 16,384 steps to render finer detail in both dark and bright areas for more immersive HDR experiences. In addition, Samsung’s proprietary ‘Neo’ or latest ‘Neural’ Quantum processors offer enhanced AI upscaling capabilities, optimising 4K and 8K image output regardless of the input quality. The same quality endowment is available to gamers as well. Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs enable 4K gaming at up to 144Hz, rendering smoother action and heightened clarity and contrast with a low ms response time. Other features such as auto low latency mode and variable refresh rate are designed with next generation consoles in mind, as is the new Samsung Gaming Hub for easier access, control and Cloud gaming integration. Not only are the Neo QLED models slimmer than ever before, the 8K models feature a new ‘Infinity’ bezel-less screen, which delivers a brilliantly immersive viewing experience in an ultra-thin form factor.

STEP ABOARD THE EXPERIENCE EXPRESS

All of these exclusive performance advantages are now available to your business with Habitech’s industry-leading support. Bring your best customers to Basingstoke to discover how the 25 million individual LEDs on Samsung’s 110in and 99in Micro LED designs, governed by the world’s most advanced processing, can deliver the most astonishing HDR experiences in any ambient light while looking drop-dead gorgeous even in the richest environments. And because the 2022 models also provide enhanced Dolby Atmos support and Object Tracking Sound Pro (OTSP) steering within an amazing bezel-free 99.99% screen-to-body ratio, the new Micro LED line-up at Habitech has to be a shoo-in for the most lavish and lucrative media room projects.

With up to 4,000 nits of brightness, the all-weather 4K QLED Terrace TVs will look great even on the sunniest of days

Elsewhere, our Neo QLED offering hits a spellbinding 8K high with the flagship QN900B model in 65in, 75in and 85in sizes. Its beautiful bezel-less Infinity Screen positively bursts with eye-popping detail resolution, amazing colour fidelity and near infinite contrast from the latest Neural Quantum Processor 8K, and also conceals an OTSP sound system of 12 in-built speakers, designed to fix the audio to the on-screen action. Additional support for 4K@120Hz gaming makes the QN900B, together with its 8K range-mate the QN800B (with slightly lower HDR brightness, and Object Tracking Sound Plus rather than Pro), perfect for multi-use media spaces. Completing the most spectacular range of luxury display options for your business, Samsung’s 4K Neo QLED flagship, the QN95B, in 55in to 85in sizes, uses Neural Quantum 4K processing, supported by OTS+ sound through eight speakers and 4K@120Hz gaming, while the Neo Quantum driven QN90B displays in five ‘Neo Slim’ designs from 50-98in populate Habitech’s Neo QLED entry level. And when you include the lifestyle 4K QLED Frame TVs, now in sizes up to 85in with swappable bezels in 40 new colour options, and the all-weather IP55 4K QLED Terrace TVs with up to 4,000 nits of brightness in 55-75in models, it’s clear that Samsung’s objects of TV desire will find a home in every environment however opulent, day or night, inside or outside. What’s more, in most cases, Habitech will deliver next day.

THE GO-TO SOURCE FOR SAMSUNG We’re here to add value to the unrivalled kudos that comes with Samsung’s extraordinary technical achievements, which have to be seen to be believed. So, we’ll be demonstrating 110in Micro QLED and 98in Neo QLED displays, alongside the 146in The Wall, The Frame, and The Terrace models within our new demonstration rooms scheduled for completion in the Autumn. Now that Samsung is changing the face of TV, we wouldn’t want you, or your customers, to miss it!

Samsung’s luxury new Neo QLED TVs, including the 8K QN900B are now available from Habitech

The 8K Q800B

The 4K QN95B

The 4K QN90B

Get in touch to experience all that Samsung has to offer CI. 01256 638500; sales@habitech.co.uk habitech.co.uk

MAY 2022 21

ESSENTIAL LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

THE LIGHTING OPPORTUNITY Jeff Thomas, Product Manager for Lighting from Snap One, explores how consumer trends and new technology are creating opportunities for installers to grow their businesses in lighting and lighting control. EDUCATING CLIENTS

We have built an industry on creating and delivering premium quality audio-visual experiences for homeowners. That expertise will continue to be a fundamental pillar, essential to our continuing success as a sector. However, through continued research and advances in technology, new categories of integration and automation present opportunities that not only enhance everyday experiences, but also provide a better standard of living. We can offer a range of attractive customised lighting solutions for clients that extend beyond lighting switches and dimming controls. This is a major market opportunity that would add an entirely new category for integrators.

22 MAY 2022

The typical on/off light switch is one of the most familiar and longest-lived home technologies ever, having retained the same basic design and functionality for nearly 130 years. But lighting and lighting control have come a long way, especially in the last few years. The vast majority of homeowners can be readily persuaded to move away from the basic light switch when they learn how a kitchen or open plan living space with six on/off light switches can now be controlled through a much more appealing multi-button keypad featuring custom-engraved buttons. Not only is the keypad more attractive, but each button can provide simple on/off and dimming control of individual lights as well as one-touch control of multiple lights preconfigured to the customer’s preferred light levels. Adding to brightness control, today’s integrators can deploy a spectrum of advanced capabilities that transform everyday experiences at home for clients and their families, adding new levels of vibrancy and enjoyment. Pre-programmed lighting scenes are still one of the easiest and most powerful demonstrations in a showroom. Homeowners

are quickly impressed by the synchronised ramping and the perfected presets, becoming excited as they imagine how lighting scenes would enhance their everyday needs and tasks, from dining and cleaning, to relaxing and entertaining, each with specific lighting levels, colours, and use of fixtures. Integrators can enhance that experience further-still with voice control, scheduled automation, trigger-based illumination, tuneable coloured LED bulbs and fixtures, and direct integration with security systems.

IMPROVING DESIGN AND AESTHETICS As lighting control and home automation adoption increases, integrators can provide more options, colours and styles to meet the demanding aesthetic expectations of a wider range of interior designers, architects and clients. Take Snap One’s recently launched Contemporary Lighting range as an example. Contemporary Lighting brings an attractive industrial design with a choice of 10 exclusive finishes that will provide the perfect complement to modern interior design schemes.

NAD CI Series

nadelectronics.com/CI

The NAD CI 720 V2 is the perfect solution for adding a powered zone for network audio. With the ability to support up to 64 zones, the CI 720 V2 provides easy access to local libraries, Internet radio, popular music streaming services, and major control systems. Wielding the power of HybridDigital™ amplification technology, the CI 720 V2 can drive any speaker to life-like detail. As a BluOS enabled product the CI 720 V2 can be used in a system alongside any other BluOS music streamer or speaker. Delivering amazing performance and easy setup, the NAD CI 720 V2 is the perfect addition to today’s most advanced custom home audio systems.

Picture cour tesy of Matt Livey and dpa lighting consultants

RAKO LIGHTING CONTROLS MAKING THE SMART HOME DREAM A REALITY. Designers and installers can specify projects with confidence knowing that Rako can control all light sources including smooth dimming of LEDs. System integration is easily achievable, linking lighting to audio-visual, security systems and curtain and blind control. Rako’s scope of projects is far reaching, from hotels and spas to churches, residential and luxury MDU developments.

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With users enjoying the ability to recall a scene, or mood of lighting at the touch of a button, a swipe of a smartphone or by voice command. Designed and manufactured in the UK, Rako offers an unparalleled range of products backed by a project planning and support service that is second to none.

ESSENTIAL LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

Elegant backlit engraving simplifies smart living, while premium buttons provide a solid tactile response and increased durability. There is also an easy upgrade path for existing Control4 wireless lighting with this new range. Our Partners simply need to remove the existing buttons and replace them with Contemporary colour change kits and faceplates. It’s not just the lighting controls that have received aesthetic attention; the idea of a light fixture has also evolved from lamps and ceiling fittings to LED strip lights that can be shaped artistically, providing virtually unlimited placement and application opportunities, as well as a whole new dimension of colour control and integration. Lighting design has evolved to provide a myriad of lighting levels and functions that can be combined and layered to enhance the design aesthetic for an elegant and transformative experience. As more customers work from home, there is additional value in the orchestrated changes in the intensity and colour temperature of their illumination. Customers benefit as colour-tuneable lighting illuminates single spaces brilliantly and in cooler white tones, becoming an invigorating workplace during the day and changing to a more subdued amber

environment in the evening to provide a more relaxed and tranquil ambience. With intelligent scheduling and automation, a home’s lighting can automatically warm and cool throughout the day, synchronised with the daily changes to sunrise and sunset, providing enhanced comfort by matching indoor lighting to the concurrent natural hues outside. To provide clients with a finer touch for personalised controls, our newest Control4 release, OS 3.3.0, adds a brilliant spectrum of lighting experiences for our customers. The user interface boasts a full colour wheel and colour temperature controls for RGB and tuneable white LEDs, while providing customers with the ability to save their favourite colours as pre-sets for easy recall, and to enjoy full colour scenes in any room, or for the whole home, with just a single-touch.

LIGHTING INNOVATION

Current building trends and consumer tastes are seeing a shift towards the increased deployment of better quality, ultra-efficient, whole-home LED lighting in more and more spaces. At the same time, the ease of use and reliability of lighting solutions, including full

control through mobile device apps, will inevitably bring permanent behaviour changes. It will increase consumer expectations of how home lighting is used and controlled to create specific scenes, moods and environments. In our view, technology integrators are best placed to be the knowledge resource for homeowners and also gain the trust and respect of designers and architects on how lighting technology can be best layered, integrated and controlled in the home. Looking ahead, we see further innovation in lighting hardware and control software that can only enhance this position of expertise in the long-term. For our part, Snap One is committed to creating more and more personalised automated experiences and introducing new products, features and functions that will help our partners capitalise on the lighting and lighting control opportunity. In addition, Snap One partners can directly benefit from their lighting sales as part of our new Partner Rewards programme with points per spend translating to attractive rebates and more! Working together, we can create lighting solutions that build a deeper and more rewarding emotional connection for clients with their home environment.

MAY 2022 25

Circadian Lighting for Control4 WAKE UP

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ESSENTIAL LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

FEAR OF THE DARK! Anthony Parkinson, Technical Manager at Ansell Lighting, explains how to embrace the exterior spaces of every home and not be scared to include exterior lighting in every proposal. Post pandemic, exterior lighting should be an important consideration for installers. It’s not only an essential part of heightening safety and security but also a home’s aesthetic and visual appeal. Research from a home buying company found that 58% of people felt that the pandemic had made their gardens more of a priority, resulting in our outside spaces becoming more important than ever, supporting flexible living, working and home socialising. There is no right or wrong lighting installation, however there are some key considerations that will help make the most of the exterior features you are illuminating. Although the choice of applications is virtually endless, when it comes to garden lighting the first thing to remember is that less is most definitely more. It’s all about subtle lighting to enhance the design, rather than illuminating everything in sight. Think about the correlation of light sources, their geographical position, mounting height, spacing and distance from features. The intensity and distribution pattern of the lighting as well as the colour, and the visibility of the light sources themselves. Once all the possible areas for illumination are identified, take time to review and consider

whether the lighting is for safe access and security, to create mood and ambience, for visual impact or simply to improve the aesthetic finish and appearance of the space. No matter how extensive the choice of outdoor lighting applications and luminaires, certain types can be universally recommended to illuminate specific outdoor features, so it is important to know what works where.

THE VITAL AREAS

STEPS: Using cross lighting (positioning an LED at either side) from the flanking step walls is the best technique as it projects a beam of light across the space. Depending on the width of the steps this can be done at each level or on alternate steps. PATHS: Where side walls exist, cross-lighting is also a valid option, however many users prefer to use up-lights positioned on either side of the path, spaced opposite or diagonally apart. Another option is to use low height architectural bollard lighting, which, if directional and well positioned, can control the illumination to the pathway areas only. For more open areas of the garden, ground recessed LED marker lights can provide illumination along the line of the pathway; alternatively recessed inground lighting can be used.

MAY 2022 27

ESSENTIAL LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

PATIOS: There are countless suitable products and lighting effects for patios. Downlighting from wall mounted luminaires can effectively light both the areas around the building, such as a pathway, and the patios adjacent to the building. Another option is to install ingress protected downlights into the eaves which may again provide both wall illumination and spill light onto an adjacent patio area. Placing freestanding luminaires or bollards around the perimeter will provide general illumination or if the patio area has structure, installing downlights or spotlights to the columns can be considered. If the patio is surrounded by a low-level wall, low level recessed lighting can be used to light the floor areas.

offers a more dramatic effect, whereas close offset highlighting illuminates the structure from the inside.

PERGOLAS AND GARDEN BARS: Pergolas can be effectively lit using either down lights or up lights, depending on the desired effect.

SMART LIGHTING: Smart lighting systems have revolutionised outdoor lighting and are ideal for installation in garden bars and offices. Operated via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, users have infinite control over their garden illumination whilst benefitting from significant cost and energy savings. Connected lighting solutions such as OCTO allow users to easily change and create different lighting combinations, scenes and

STATUES: There are three basic methods to illuminating statues and sculptures - spotlighting from above, spotlighting from below and close offset highlighting. Spotlighting from above is used where statues or sculptures are intended for frontal viewing, spotlighting from below

28 MAY 2022

TREES: The most common way of illuminating trees is by up-lighting. Luminaires are usually sunk into the ground or discreetly installed and camouflaged from view in either a symmetrical or asymmetrical pattern. On occasions, well screened up-lighting may also be attached to the upper trunk of the tree or its main branches. WATER FEATURES: To illuminate vertical jets of water in fountains and waterfalls, small submersible floodlights or LED strips can be positioned within the jet stream. Alternatively, positioned near a bank or within a water feature they create reflections in the water to stunning effect.

schedules, enabling them to achieve the perfect ambience at different times of the day or for different occasions. LEDs also mean it is possible to choose different colours and hues to enhance outdoor settings. RGB LEDs offer 16 million different colour options or the use of tunable white LEDs allow colour temperatures to be adjusted, enabling different tones to be set as the natural light changes. When it comes to external lighting, simply placing security lighting everywhere around the property’s exterior is not the answer, the installation positions and what type of lighting equipment will offer the optimum solution must to be considered. Then discuss how the system is to be operated, whether through manual switching, photocell control, or by sensor control activated through movement. For visible areas, the use of activated lighting by manual switching, through photocell or Passive Infrared or microwave detection offers a beneficial solution as it will allow visibility of any potential intruder approaching the property. This is an ideal solution for the front of the home, a driveway or garage. For a gated driveway, lighting can be positioned to illuminate the exterior of the gate, as any attempt to climb over increases the likelihood of being seen. For hidden areas of the garden or if the property is in a more rural location, having automatically controlled security lighting is the obvious choice, however, if there is no-one around to see the activation this may be less appropriate. Generally, it is not possible to use the lighting as a method of determining unwarranted access remotely, however, as an alternative solution, it may be more appropriate to use the activation through movement signal to operate another form of security, whether that be an audible alarm or phone alert, by way of a different platform. What’s crucial is that it’s not one solution fits all and so as an installer you need to have a good working knowledge of the options in order to ask the right questions of your customer so they can deliver to theirs.

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ESSENTIAL LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

THE LIGHTING CONVERSATION An integrator who’s well-versed in lighting solutions can use that knowledge as a powerful tool in the discovery process, says Phillip Pini, Director of Residential Sales UK at Crestron. There’s a truism that every integrator and dealer should keep top of mind: A house is not a home without a proper lighting system. Given the state of lighting technology — from tunable LEDs that follow bio-centric rhythms to luminaires that can trace the arc of a curving staircase — the opportunities that this sector presents for technology integrators has grown exponentially. In addition to its strength as a segment, it’s also got tremendous potential as an entry point; a conversation starter. Let’s face it: Technology integration has changed. From Crestron’s perspective, our dealers aren’t purely AV professionals as such — rather, we have wonderful partners that are specialists in building management systems, in lighting design and shading, and even some with the drive and ability to design their own luminaires for clients. That’s not to say that the wonderful element of audio visual has gone away — but it’s become another arrow in an ever-expanding quiver. A conversation with a homeowner that includes lighting can lead to a world of other options in the discovery process. An example: There’s no point in having a wonderful piece of furniture with a television that disappears behind a painting if the artwork isn’t lit appropriately. Conversely, how does the light in the room behave when the display appears for the viewer? All of these things are interlinked.

30 MAY 2022

THE CIRCADIAN FACTOR

The most obvious leap from lighting to other technologies — especially automated ones — is a discussion around shading. There’s often something of a false dichotomy here, as light is often framed as being “artificial versus natural.” When shading is working in concert with a lighting solution, the benefits extend beyond illumination: One’s actually reducing their carbon footprint with the simple act of placing a small piece of material in front of a window. It doesn’t matter how many sheets of glass are in that window or what gas is between the panes, the right shading goes a long way toward keeping the cold out and warmth in. And all of this, of course, opens up a conversation regarding climate control. Natural daylight provides something that interior, ambient light now mimics quite effectively: bio-centric illumination that’s tuned to Circadian rhythms, the natural sleep/ wake cycle that’s triggered by the presence (or absence) of sunshine. Beyond that, however, an integrator who’s well versed in the visual impact that light can have on a given task has a leg up on the competition: While cooking, for example, one might want a light at a temperature of perhaps 4,000 Kelvin — but 2,000 during the meal. That light will make a tremendous difference on the appearance of one’s food on the plate.

BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN

With our current focus on interior lighting and its advancements, exterior lighting remains something of an untapped sector: It’s not just for fancy big houses with lights on the gate — it’s about bringing the outside in, and vice-versa. A personal example: We’ve put some small, soft lights that illuminate the garden just behind our home. They come on every night at sunset and turn themselves off later in the evening. We open the doors, and that light filters into the home; and at the same time those lights turn that garden into a usable evening space. What’s more, exterior lighting is also a tremendous security feature for a home of any budget or size. The aspects of integrating — and automating — lighting solutions draw from the same skillset regarding control and connectivity a dealer’s already familiar with. But with just a bit more research, some digging on the internet, becoming familiar with the proper terms, or even engaging with a lighting designer (and taking a course if that designer’s offering one) will open up new avenues for conversation — and discovery — with one’s clients.

Basalte Home is a control system for the intelligent home. Manage lights, shades, scenes, music, climate and cameras at the slightest touch. Experience the ultimate comfort at home with our luxury keypads, iPad mounts and speakers. LET’S MEET AT ISE booth 2P600 - hall 2

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ESSENTIAL LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES Peter Broome, Director at UK smart lighting controls manufacturer, Rako shines a light on getting it right. The nature of home, and how we now live within it, has changed dramatically in recent years. The home is now a multi-functional space which allows different family members to work, play, educate and entertain or be entertained - often all at the same time. Deploying smart home technology in an intelligent way can add much needed flexibility to these spaces, making them suitable for different purposes and creating different moods and environments. As lighting is a big part of the building infrastructure it is only natural that it is one of the first elements to consider when specifying smart home applications. Lighting design has also become a serious consideration when creating a new home or upgrading existing rooms. This has driven investment in lighting control technology that can deliver the right ambience, together with the levels of comfort and convenience that people now see they need, want or will require in the future for multi-functional spaces. With this investment, homeowners have turned to integrators to help make this technology experience as easy to use, reliable and enjoyable as possible. As each home and client are unique, so are the lighting control challenges. That is why it is important for integrators to offer choice and flexibility to their clients when it comes to product selection. In the first instance, it’s important to understand whether a wired or wireless lighting control system is the right choice for the project

32 MAY 2022

or whether it is a hybrid combination of the two. A wired system requires cabling and can cause disruption in an existing building whilst also incurring more costs. Whereas a wireless system is cheaper and easier to install. These options need to be considered from the outset and it is helpful to work with a manufacturer, like Rako, who can offer the same keypad design for wireless and wired systems, meaning there is no compromise on the finish. Keypad flexibility is an important lighting control trend. Integrators need to make sure they can deliver the functionality and simplicity of an operation that’s right for their project and their clients. Our recently launched Modular keypads are designed to offer that high degree of versatility, including a choice of control options and finishes that set them apart from the competition. This brings us on to aesthetics and keypad design. New keypad designs offer different button sizes which can be combined in multiple ways to create custom button layouts, perfectly tailored to an installation. Again, with the Rako Modular range, each keypad is designed to offer a premium quality aesthetic with the user experience optimised by a comforting, robust and tactile button press.

All Modular keypads are available with black buttons

and

seven

hand-finished

metal

surrounds - satin chrome, polished chrome, antique brass, polished brass, matt black, matt bronze and matt white. Every client also now expects to be able to use their phone to control everything and the recently enhanced Rako HUB interface is a key, feature-rich enabler of that benefit. The demands of consumers may have changed but these new higher expectations provide integrators with an opportunity to deliver high quality and flexible lighting control solutions for their clients.

The next generation of architectural loudspeakers with tool-less installation, a unique pivoting system, and 21 speakers that fit into the same cut-out of 222mm, the Director Collection provides full-bodied, reliable sound from room to room.

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Personalised wireless smart lighting and shade control. RA2 Select and HomeWorks QS from Lutron is a smart home control system like no other. It’s simple and easy to set-up, delivering a personalised whole-home experience that is easily expandable. Seamlessly controlling your intelligent lighting and shades, using the free Lutron control app for your smartphone or tablet, it also integrates with your audio visual solutions. And it does all of this while saving you energy.

For more information on Lutron call the industry experts RGB on +44 (0) 1488 73366 or visit www.rgbcomms.co.uk

RGB Head Office, 13–14 Headlands Trading Estate Headlands Grove Swindon, SN2 7JQ

ESSENTIAL LIGHT AND LIGHTING CONTROL

REACHING OUT TO CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS Richard Caton, Managing Director of Janus Technology, takes a look at using light to deliver benefits homeowners can really feel. The continuous cycle of day and night has shaped our daily rhythm for millions of years, genetically anchoring itself in our biology as a system of internal clocks. This system regulates the biological processes in our body and harmonises them with each other; known as the ‘circadian’ rhythm. Light is the key factor that stimulates and stabilises this inner rhythm. Disturbances to the circadian rhythm can have serious consequences to well-being in the short term and to our health in the long term. Insomnia, irritability and lack of concentration are some of the immediate symptoms that result. We spend the vast amount of our time indoors - studies suggest up to 90% of the time - and our homes often do not provide enough daylight to support these rhythms. This means that artificial light sources need to be used instead. In recent times, there has been more and more talk in our industry around this topic, and the need for a more human-centric approach to lighting that harmonises with the circadian rhythm of our clients. As our understanding in this area has improved, this ought to present an opportunity for integrators to grow their business in lighting and improve the quality of life and well-being for clients as a result. What’s been holding us back is the relative lack of high quality, reliable light fixtures and the capabilities of our industry platforms to then manage and control an integrated human lighting solution. Developments in both areas are opening up the market

We are seeing an increasing choice in fixtures, including DALI fittings, LED linear tape and other innovative products that offer clients both an aesthetically attractive option and the colour temperature changing performance that is needed to create human-centric lighting. Programming for such solutions is also becoming much easier. At Janus Technology we have developed a suite of circadian lighting drivers for Control4 which allow integrators to easily program human-centric lighting for any tuneable white dimmers. A wide range of compatibility is ensured with our Enhanced Lighting interface providing integration of legacy drivers (with separate dimmer controls) and also the new temperature adjustment available in OS3.3. Each circadian lighting controller can configure a schedule for a subset of lights to enable the creation of multiple, entirely different schedules on any one project. In this way, integrators can synchronise the colour temperature of lamps to a specific location and/ or available daylight levels or even program the sleep schedule to give warmer colours at bedtime and cooler ones during the day. Our Circadian Controller adds to our growing range of user experience extensions that expand the capabilities of the Control4 platform, giving the end client more control over their system. Other recent advances are our Enhanced Scheduler and Visual Navigator. Enhanced Scheduler gives the user familiar calendar-based scheduling, fully integrated into

the Control4 app, allowing them to schedule their system without requiring intervention from their installer. A wide range of features are supported, including lighting, audio, climate and security, with very flexible scheduling including Astronomic time, day of week and various repeating schedules. All features are autodiscovered, so your client can be up and running in minutes once you’ve installed the driver, without any further configuration. Visual Navigator allows integrators to visualise and control the state of devices across the entire home from any Control4 user interface. So rather than ploughing through the App from room to room, you can see an overview of your systems status, overlaid onto a background visualisation of the property – which could be a 2D floorplan or even a 3D render. Setup is simplified with advanced discovery, and it fully supports the Control4 Advanced Lighting solutions, as well as security, comfort and more. We are working on updates to fully support the latest lighting features that are coming in OS3.3, supporting native integration of colour control and temperature adjustment. Human-centric lighting is a growing trend. To capitalise on the market opportunity requires innovation, not just in hardware but also in the software tools that are a huge part of the integrator’s skill set. For our part, Janus is at the forefront of the software innovation that will keep pace with the technology, and help installers create functional, reliable and easy to integrate solutions for their clients.

MAY 2022 35

ESSENTIAL COMPANY FOCUS: CONNECTED DISTRIBUTION

WE LOVE IT LOUD

(BUT WE LOVE IT GOOD) How to provide the best of both worlds for your clients’ cinema, by Mike Bonnette, Connected Distribution’s director. The Grateful Dead had their ‘Wall of Sound’, Status Quo had the ‘Wall of Death’ (one up on the Dead!) and Kiss, of the aforementioned ‘We Love It Loud’, reached an ear-splitting (literally) 136dB at their Ottawa concert in 2009. And it’s all down to amplifiers. They’ve changed the world, revolutionising the playback of recorded music from the day someone bolted one and a speaker onto a gramophone and they’ve enabled live events to reach bigger and bigger crowds. But amplifiers aren’t just about how loud they can go, for some the quality of the sound is even more important. Your average audiophile seeks purity of sound over anything else, often at the expense of pure volume and sometimes delivered by very low wattage valve amplifiers. For some applications however, the quality and the volume are equally important. Take for example recording studios, post-production facilities and large home cinemas. All spaces where the clarity and authenticity of the signal are paramount, as well as the ability to fill a large space with sound. And that is where Parasound comes in. Founded in California in 1980 by Richard Schram, Parasound is a rare beast in the world of audio. It makes very good quality amplifiers that also pack a real punch, and that makes them ideal for use in, funnily enough, recording studios, post-production facilities and large home cinemas. They also blend those often incompatible qualities of detail, analytics and precision with a real sense of excitement and musical enjoyment. Mention American amplifiers to many and they’ll quite often comment on them being way too clinical or just about the power. Not so Parasound.

Richard Schram has always been mindful also of the need to offer real value. And while Parasound amplifiers are not what you’d call low-cost, they are phenomenal value for money, without the stratospheric price tags that seem to go hand in hand with great performance. As Richard puts it, “We’ve all been on the consumer side: music lovers, musicians and audio enthusiasts looking for top-tier sound without breaking the bank.”

What is it that makes Parasound ideal for custom install?

Firstly, they don’t do a professional range and a consumer range. They just design amplifiers. Any product has as much chance of ending up in your home as it does in Lucasfilm’s studios. And talking of Lucasfilm, Parasound is the only electronics company to be recognised in the credits of Star Wars I, II and III. Parasound helped Lucasfilm cut-down on expensive postproduction sound adjustments, because the amps gave such superb performance on set that George Lucas could trust what he was hearing. And if they’re good enough for Lucasfilm, then they’re also good enough for Sony Pictures, Pixar, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Universal. Plus four-times Oscar winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom (Terminator 2, X-Men, Jurassic Park etc.), Leslie Ann Jones - the threetimes Grammy Award winning chief engineer at Skywalker Sound, Oliver Stone and Ridley Scott. That’s what makes them ideal for custom installation work. They have an amazing pedigree, a solid reputation for working and keeping on working in demanding situations, and if you specify them for your customers’ home cinemas, they’ll be listening using exactly the same amplifiers used to actually make the soundtracks.

Wearing a Halo

The flagship range from Parasound is the perfect product line for the highest quality home cinema builds. Afterall, these are the ones used in the studios. The circuits are designed by a man who has become a legend in the world of amplifier design – John Curl. And here’s the thing, John Curl started out working for Ampex designing tape recorders and from that he moved into the world of rock, designing and building sound systems for The Grateful Dead – so it’s fair to say John knows a thing or two about how to make a great sounding ‘Wall of Sound’. Many of the Halo products are also THX Ultra 2 rated, which means they reach the very highest standards required for home cinema installation. Within the range you’ll find mono power amplifiers – the JC1+ , two channel amps – JC5, A21+ and A23+ and multi-channel models such as the three-channel A31 and five-channel A51. Using a combination of these products you can power a modest 5.1 cinema or a massive 9.2.6 Dolby Atmos immersive audio cinema, with exactly the same audio quality, tonal quality and power around the room. It really is the ultimate choice for home cinemas. And don’t you owe that to your customers? Parasound is available exclusively in the UK from Connected Distribution.

Connected Distribution. connecteddistribution.com

36 MAY 2022

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ESSENTIAL PROGRAMMING AND COMMISSIONING

SIMPLE MINDS?

Can programed and pre-programmed systems live together?

Cliff Stammers, EI regular, experienced programmer and founder of Clever Rooms, takes a look at the state of play in programming and commissioning. A lot of thought has been given in recent months

company was founded 50 years ago. There have

into cohesive working realities, chiefly because

to try to understand where our industry is today.

been many attempts over the years to make

yet another project had overrun, and the next

Not to mention, of course, where it is going to

things easier for their customers to successfully

one down the line needed maximum attention

be tomorrow. And at the very forefront of this

deploy their products. But none of these ever

already. This meant that focus was difficult

attempt to continue to make sense of our work is

really took hold. Not, that is, until Crestron

to maintain. Couple this with a degree of

the subject of how users interact with increasingly

Home was launched over five years ago. Finally,

belligerence from programmers when called

complex automation systems. How then to make

for Crestron, it seemed that here was a product

upon to release the code they had written, the

integration systems as unfussy as possible as

that had found a way to deliver that most

consequence of which was effectively to hold

the products that they control become ever

elusive of goals: programmable product without

clients to ransom over code that they owned…

more diverse. Let’s take a quick look at how one

the programming.

well, then something had to happen.

But how successful has this been? Is it still

Seen in this light then, it’s clear that a way

In this age of ‘Out of the Box’ pre-

a fad, or is it something more profound? Is it

to make the commissioning of a system an

configurable systems, there has been enormous

really a fundamental sea-change in the way that

inherent part of the actual installation of one

investment made by companies to simplify how

our industry has evolved, or will it all eventually

was always going to be a smart idea. To take

their products are controlled. A full-scale charge

revert to type? My view is that it’s all of these

the functionality of an integration system away

away from bespoke programming has been

things. Like the concept of control systems

from a prickly programmer and place it into the

going on now for quite some time. In the case

itself, there are dozens of ways to look at it.

hands of a competent installation engineer,

manufacturer is tackling this conundrum.

of Crestron, for example, it’s long been their

There’s no doubt that the issue of bespoke

seemed like a thoroughly good move. And

particular holy grail to be able to dispense with

programming had to be addressed. For too

Crestron Home is probably the most successful

the third-party programming services that have

long service-providers had been struggling

interpretation of this that our industry has

been baked into their product range since the

with good intent to make ephemeral ideas

achieved in recent years.

44 MAY 2022

The AXION-X from AVProedge is available in multiple configurations. This product allows you to custom order your inputs and outputs up to 16x16. Mix and match the cards to create the ultimate video matrix system - HDMI, HDBT, Audio - no problem! AXION-X is engineered for high-end systems and can handle any HDMI 2.0 signal including 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Specify the AVDM downmix cards and you have the option of downmixing the Dolby Atmos audio into a 2channel signal that is perfect for whole home distribution, whilst maintaining the multichannel signal for your media and cinema spaces. The AXION range also includes a fixed format 4x4 or 8x8 solution.

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All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. ©2022 Crestron Electronics, Inc.

ESSENTIAL PROGRAMMING AND COMMISSIONING

But how effective is it really? And don’t end users always want more? Yes, of course they do. They always will. So can any of these preconfigurable systems keep up with the crazy demands that are going to be placed upon them? By and large, yes, they probably can. But how much flexibility is there to be had in deploying pre-considered automation products? In short: can they do everything straight out of the box? Pretty much. But all of it? Everything? No. I doubt it. And that is why I reckon there’s a strong place for both types of control systems in the market today. Let one embrace the other. Pre-configurable systems are a great way to get your foot in the door. And they’re the best, most succinct example of what your company can deliver in as efficient a manner as possible. After all, what speaks louder than words? Actions, right? And once your pre-configured system is faultlessly delivering time after time, without any hiccups and glitches whatsoever, and planting an endless supply of smiles on your customers face: you’ll be able to confidently ask, is there anything else you require? How can I make your life even easier, lovely customer? I guarantee you’ll be asked to bring a control system programmer along with you to your next meeting, at which point we can collectively dazzle your clients with our nifty skills and magnetic personalities, instilling confidence, and purpose in everyone in the room. Sort of.

IP VIDEO DOOR STATION Modern IP video technology for new and retrofit buildings Easy installation via PoE Keyless access by App, RFID, keypad or fingerprint Smart Home & NVR compatible, e.g. Control4, Loxone, Crestron, RTI, Synology, URC DoorBird combines exclusive design with the innovative IP technology in the field of door communication.

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MAY 2022 47

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ESSENTIAL SONUS FABER

The impressive demo facilities are a real highlight of any visit

SONUS FABER: PORTRAIT OF AN AUDIO ARTISAN EI’s recent trip to visit Sonus faber (available in the UK from Fine Sounds UK) in its hometown of Vicenza in Northern Italy, prompted a desire to delve deeper into the culture, achievements and plans of this ambitious audio artisan. Tell us about the history of the company? Jeff Poggi, CEO Sonus faber, “Sonus faber was founded in 1983 by a Dentist, Franco Serblin. The company was established with the inspiration to use the traditions of the famous Italian lute makers to make beautiful loudspeakers that sound natural, look elegant, and use the most precious natural materials available like hardwoods, leather, and stone. Over the past 39 years there have been many product innovations. One that stands out prominently is the introduction of the Guarneri Homage (1993). This speaker introduced the world’s first ‘lute shaped’ speaker cabinet

50 MAY 2022

which set off a revolution in speaker design that most major speaker companies now imitate. The ‘lute shape’ was inspired by the shape of the musical instrument and was revolutionary to help dampen the standing waves that form in a typical speaker cabinet and made the cabinet extremely stiff and rigid, thus making the sound much more natural with less coloration. More recently we introduced the Sonus faber OMNIA wireless music system with two trademarked technologies, SENSO and CRESCENDO and received recognition via two Red Dot Design Awards, as well as a What Hi-Fi 5-Star Award. Our latest Sonus faber innovation continues our innovative tradition.”

What is the culture like within the company, where does the passion come from to create the products? “I invite you to visit the company. Because, if you visit then you will ‘feel’ the culture. The Sonus faber culture is amazing because of our family of talented Italian artisans. Sonus faber is oozing with emotional, passionate, curious, caring, and hardworking people. Each person sets very high standards for themselves and takes a personal commitment to ensure that all our products are designed, fabricated, and marketed with the highest attention to detail and quality. I’m so proud and privileged to be part of such an amazing team.”

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ESSENTIAL SONUS FABER

when we talk about natural materials, is a certain grade of unpredictability, that portion of chaos that any organism has in its composition, which makes the life on this planet so special and, more importantly, unique!”

The staff are very enthusiastic, what is it about working at Sonus Faber that creates such a healthy environment? Roberto Gamba, Business Development Manager, Customer Installation, “I joined the team last year and immediately felt a family atmosphere, all the team is super engaged and passionate; this is a really key aspect to the success and feel of our company. Recently, we’ve also added more new and talented young people in addition to the existing team, and this passion, focus, new skill set and team-feel are vital ingredients to allow us to improve every day and at the same time create a great environment, that will only result in more amazing products.”

Development and testing facilities are top notch

Where do you get your inspiration? Livio Cucuzza, Chief Design Officer, “Inspiration can come from everywhere. There is normally a big quantity of elements that are part of the history of the brand, trends that are popular in the specific market and a series of inspirations that come from outside; boats, nature, architecture, cars and art are the ones more common for us. “Everything that surrounds us is influencing our lives and our senses. Food, art, wine and our beautiful history are part of our landscape but they are also feeding our creativity. Our territory

plays a crucial role in the way our products are made.”

You use lots of ‘natural’ materials, tell us a little about that.

What are the main areas the company wants to be known for Hi-Fi/Home Cinema? Something else?

“Natural materials were at the base of Sonus faber’s original concept. From the typical resonance of the wood, the beautiful texture of the leather to the exceptional properties of the stones, any material for us is a fundamental ingredient of the Sonus faber recipe, contributing to the final result: pleasure for all the senses. The adding value of each material,

“We’re always improving and developing all of the products in the Hi-Fi line-up, and now we are working in new fields like the wireless speaker category. But we don’t want to copy or imitate, for our recently launched OMNIA, we wanted to create something genuinely class-leading, that changes the way we engage with our music and movies.

The whole staff take personal responsibility for the quality of the products

MAY 2022 53

ESSENTIAL SONUS FABER

We are currently working on the development of a wide range of products that will allow us to be even more present in the home cinema world, right now we have a Palladio 5 & 6 that really impresses me for the sonically quality. We believe we can create great things in the space.

Do you feel there is a scope for installers to sell more ‘Hi-Fi’ systems as well as the integrated styles? “Focusing on performance is key, and we shouldn’t only think of CI in the traditional sense, but very much push-towards ‘Ci-Fi’ (custom install fidelity). The idea in this is that we transfer

54 MAY 2022

the incredible performance aspects and understanding of reproduction in Hi-Fi inside all the areas inside homes, superyachts, private jets and any spaces that would benefit from the very best performance. By changing the hierarchy of project spend towards the key areas on the system performance, we will truly provide our clients with the best ever experience!”

You had several products in development during our visit, can you tell us anything about them? Livio continues, “The life in the design lab is in continue evolution, we have normally multiple projects open in the laboratories, and each one is

part of the total and each one is unique. Right now, we’re working on active speakers, custom installation products, classic stereo speakers and some automotive collaborations, but our target is always the same: the listening pleasure.”

Highlights from the current range? “If I must use one example of what Sonus faber is I would choose the Heritage series. A collection of classic products that are both representative of our history and our present, because that unique mix of simplicity and refinement goes so deep in the meaning of what we are.”

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SIMPLIFYING COMPLEXITY

ESSENTIAL SONUS FABER

You have some very impressive demonstration facilities, tell us about those. Roberto adds, “We truly believe in the power of having a fully immersive, behind the scenes experience for our guests. Giving amazing demonstrations of our product range is one piece of our story, but we also want to help our customers discover who our company really IS, by showing what happens on the inside; from R&D to production, through all sectors, so everybody can understand our DNA and realise that we don’t just talk about these things, but we actually live and breathe all of it, day in and day out. Of course, the demonstration facilities are also used extensively in the development cycle with our R&D teams!”

What does the immediate future hold for the company? Jeff concludes, “The company is expanding its capabilities across many dimensions. In December 2021 we completed the acquisition of DeSanti SRL, our long-time wood working supplier partner. This brings 30+ years of woodworking experience into the company and enables us to expand the capacity so that we can meet the growing demand for our Italian-made loudspeakers. In February 2022, we announced the OMNIA wireless music system which allows

The lively R&D area is one of the key hubs of Sonus faber

us to engage a whole new customer segment with our natural sound. In April 2022, Maserati announced their all-new Grecale featuring Sonus faber sound for luxury customer on the go. It is a thrilling time for the brand! “Europe continues to be our largest and most important market. We look forward to work closely with our partners to deliver amazing natural sound experience in all market segments we serve – stereo Hi-Fi, home theatre, whole home audio, private home cinema, automotive, and wireless music systems!” Sonus faber sonusfaber.com

Fine Sounds UK finesounds.uk

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SMART THINKING

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MODULAR DESIGN CONSTRUCTION A technology inspired by a singular philosophy, NAD examines its own journey through to the goal of creating truly modular products. Cas Oostvogel, NAD Product Manager, is our guide.

Rapid technological advancement promotes ‘premature obsolescence’ of otherwise perfectly good hardware. In the digital age this has become even more pronounced despite the promise of the ‘software upgrade’ that can add new features and functionality to existing hardware. Often, new software includes a security code that must be imbedded in hardware and thus cannot be easily upgraded. At other times, more memory or processing power is required.

THE SOLUTION

If 80% of a product is still relevant and operating perfectly, then it makes perfect sense to replace only the 20% that has become obsolete. This is what Modular Design Construction is all about. Make it easy and cost effective for the owner to upgrade just the processor, or just the DAC, or just the HDMI circuits while keeping the case, the display, the preamp, and the power amp that are still fully capable and operating perfectly. This MDC upgrade path, the ability to remove one circuit and replace it with another, seems like an obvious solution. So why aren’t all brands promoting the concept?

A LITTLE HISTORY

sales@habitech.co.uk 58 MAY 2022

The NAD brand was formed in 1972 largely in response to rapid change in the Audio Industry. The concept of Component Audio sprang up after World War II when passionate music lovers and inveterate tinkerers started a DIY movement to recreate the sound of the concert hall at home. Often using war surplus goods that were sold at a fraction of their cost and combining them with theater loudspeakers, these ungainly conglomerations produced some pretty

magnificent sound. The ability to upgrade just the speaker, or just the amplifier, became a very popular way to upgrade performance one step at a time. Many entrepreneurs made their hobby into a business resulting in many small audio companies. But by the early ‘70’s these brands were being acquired by bigger – often Asian based – companies that lacked the passion and vision of the founders of these brands. The concept for NAD, the New Acoustic Dimension, was to marry low cost Asian production techniques with the passionate vision of the early High Fidelity pioneers. A key element in the philosophy of NAD was the idea of being able to upgrade whatever you bought as your taste and budget allowed. This respected the investment the customer had already made by making the incremental upgrade more affordable. This became known as the ‘Building Block’ concept. Unlike the competitive brands that had low quality products at low prices and high quality products at high prices, NAD would only make high quality products, just with less amplifier power at the lower price points. When you were ready, you could buy just the power amp section of the expensive amplifier and connect it up to your budget amplifier. Viola! Now you had the expensive amplifier. As we entered the 21st century and audio and video had moved from analogue to digital, we faced a slightly different version of the same problem. As new technologies come on line, the old technology becomes rapidly obsolete, and with digital there is often no backward compatibility. One of the strengths of digital is that you can make an infinite number of copies of content without degradation, which unfortunately led to widespread pirating of copyrighted material. As a

SMART THINKING

SUPERCHARGE

YOUR RACKS!

Careful ‘modularisation’ is a big part of the future of AV

result, digital content owners mandated encryption, known as Digital Rights Management in an attempt to stop the thievery. This, combined with the many compression codecs required for transmission over limited bandwidth, created a nightmare for hardware manufacturers. Nearly as soon as a new product was introduced, it became obsolete.

EXECUTION DETERMINES SUCCESS

This ability to upgrade in the future, for a product made in the past, requires some creative thinking about what the future may hold. What circuits should be upgradable? How can it be made easy and convenient to swap out circuits? What is the cost of making easy access and upgradability part of the design? Can the new upgrade circuit be inexpensive enough that customers will want to upgrade it rather than replace the whole unit? There is also a customer trust component to MDC that must be satisfied. If you purchase a product based on the promise of future upgradability, the brand must fulfill the promise and offer the upgrade in a manner that is both timely and cost effective. This has been the downfall of other brands that have rolled out the concept only to fail when the upgrade never arrives or it is cost prohibitive. While there will be a limit to ‘forever’ upgrades, NAD has created five generations of upgrade solutions for our AVR models that stretch back a decade, proving our commitment to our

customers. We have also expanded the concept to many of our stereo products as people find new ways to access musical content that may require future upgrades.

THE COST OF OBSOLESCENCE

There is the obvious cost to the owner when his state-of-the-art $3,000 AVR is only worth $300 just a year later because it can’t play the latest and greatest digital format. But there are also environmental costs to discarding perfectly good electronics just because it doesn’t play the latest codec. There are also hidden costs when manufacturers have very short product cycles, because there are huge one-time costs to bringing a new model to market related to compliance, safety, tooling, and development that get amortised into the price a customer pays.

MODULAR DESIGN CONSTRUCTION IS A WIN, WIN, WIN

MDC allows the customer to easily upgrade for a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new unit. MDC promotes environmental stewardship by giving an extended service life to products that are not easily recycled. MDC allows the manufacturer to bring new features to market more quickly while keeping costs down.

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MAY 2022 59

ESSENTIAL COMMENT AND OPINION

SUPERFANS DELIVER GROWTH!

Pete Baker, experienced CI operator, Founder of the Big Corp and EI contributor looks at creating the best marketing there is. I grew up in the Bahamas. I have the great opportunity to travel back to the Bahamas frequently to visit relatives and check on our family store. During a recent visit a few months ago, my wife and I had one of the most impactful customer service experiences of our lifetimes. We were near downtown Nassau and looking for a place to enjoy some dinner. As we strolled along the boardwalk, near Junkanoo Beach, we spotted an interesting restaurant called Tiki Bikini Hut. Although I have walked past this area dozens of times, I had never dined at this particular restaurant. We decided to give it a shot. As we approached the hostess stand, we were asked our names. Much to my wife’s embarrassment, I respond with a common quip of mine, “just think Peter Pan, for Peter and Anne.” Upon providing our names, a loud declaration was made by the Maître d’, “Please help us to welcome Peter Pan!” The entire restaurant then erupted in cheering, whistles and cowbells to welcome us to the establishment. Little did we know, that was just the start of a series of positive experiences at this restaurant. Shortly after we were seated, the owner of the business came to our table to

60 MAY 2022

personally welcome us to the restaurant. He then asked if he could get us anything to drink. My wife ordered a tropical concoction and I asked if he had any Kalik (the local beer). He responded, “I am not sure if we have any, but don’t worry, I’ll get it for you.” It turns out, as I later discovered, that they were out of Kalik in the restaurant. Not willing to disappoint a customer, the owner had someone run down the street to buy some Kalik beer for me to enjoy. Shortly after, the food started arriving, but it wasn’t just what we ordered. The owner wanted us to fully enjoy his restaurant, so he provided us with a sample of all the appetizers they had to offer! We stayed for several hours, watching in awe as each guest who arrived was greeted with the full vigor and excitement shown to us. Not only did the arriving guests enjoy this encounter, but the rest of the patrons had even more fun clanging the cowbells, clapping and cheering and getting fully immersed in the experience. As we left the restaurant that evening, we had several employees share their gratitude and thank us for visiting Tiki Bikini that night. I guarantee that no one who visited that restaurant will soon forget the experience they had as a customer. So, how can we apply this

to our businesses and create superfans for our brands? Most likely greeting a new customer with cowbells and cheering when you first meet them may not be appropriate in our business. Regardless, it does raise the question of how can we create a positive impact, for customer at each touch point? The following will outline three opportunities where you can create superfans through interactions with clients.

BEFORE THE CLIENT INTERACTION: PREPARE

There are a few different ways you can prepare for client interactions. How you prepare will depend largely on your business model. Do you have a showroom or office space where you will be meeting with the clients? Are you keeping it presentable? Are the bathrooms clean? Have you tested all your equipment to make sure it’s working properly? Are all your employees on the same page? Preparing the space where you will be meeting your client in can be a game changer. A neat and tidy appearance, and ensuring each of your employees knows what they can and should do to impress each visitor, could very well be what elevates your business above competitors and helps to win the project or sale.

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ESSENTIAL COMMENT AND OPINION

I am confident that Byron, who owns the Bikini Tik bar, has communicated with his team to ensure each of them is 100% focused on delivering a positive and memorable experience to each customer visiting his restaurant. Now, whether you have a showroom or not, there are other ways you should prepare. In our digital world, making sure your online presence is crisp, clean and user friendly is just as important. Your website, online ads and communication methods are your virtual showroom, and you should treat them as such. Is your website easy to understand? What benefit does it (intend to) deliver to visitors? Does it have an appealing aesthetic? Do you have a quick response time if someone reaches out over email or social media? Asking yourself these questions and continually finding ways to make your online interactions more effective, beneficial and client friendly will only get more important in the years and decades to come.

DURING THE CLIENT INTERACTION: COMMUNICATE

If you succeed in securing a sale or a project with a customer, your efforts to impress them shouldn’t end there. Give them reasons to stay excited about working with you. Make their experience with you different than it would be with any other business. For me, especially when handling installations, I’ve found that communication is key. Your client is going to be letting strangers into their house, sometimes for many days, to complete this project. Make sure you are setting their mind at ease by communicating everything with them beforehand. Let them know how the installation process will progress and update them throughout the process on how it’s going. I’ve found how beneficial it is to communicate

Communicate to everyone what is expected and best to impress customers

with the client during the entire installation process, they understand what’s going on and feel involved in what’s happening to their home. I would further encourage you to share similar updates with the source of the referral along the way; the builder, architect, interior designer, etc. I can tell you that this simple exercise created an incredibly successful and consistent referral stream for my business. Finally, when you’re reaching the end of the project, check in with your client periodically to see if they have any questions and ask how the feel the process is going for them. Has anything changed since that initial proposal that they might want to consider or change? So often I hear of and see customers dissatisfied with the experience and nearly always it is related to poor communication: setting expectations, failure to provide updates, or simply asking ‘how are we doing for you?’. When companies skip much of this communication, clients will often come away from it feeling like the company and installers were cold or that they felt uninvolved and unaware of much of what was happening to their home.

AFTER THE CLIENT INTERACTION: FOLLOW-UP

So you’ve completed the project, and you’d like to make sure your client is happy with their new system. There are a couple of things that I’ve done at this stage that have worked well for me. The first is: I made a habit on the first Wednesday of every month, I would reach out to all the clients with whom I had completed projects in the previous month. I would ask them how their system was working, do they have any questions, did it meet or exceed their expectations and whether they wanted us to come back to the home and provide another tutorial to their family. I would tell each client at the start of the project, “I want you to love the system we design for you and want you to hold us accountable for this at the end of the project”. So, did we accomplish this goal? We would ask each client to please provide us with a quick written comment on their experience working with the company and team. I would also incentivise my installation team to receive this feedback – good, bad, or otherwise. Another thing we did at the end of the project, as a form of gratitude, was to give each client a handmade, ceramic popcorn bowl. This bowl was custom made with our logo, a thank you and our phone number on it, as a constant reminder of our gratitude. The bowl would have some popcorn, candy, and movies in it for them to enjoy with their new system. Finally, I would be certain to remain in contact with past customers, by sending them quarterly email updates letting them know about any new technology coming out and most importantly to check in with them. The bottom line is you should never take your clients for granted. Whether you’re interacting with prospective or existing clients, you need to continually invest in them, like you are asking them to invest in you. Give them a reason to be a superfan of your business, set yourself apart from your competitors and as always, think BIG!

MAY 2022 63

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PICTURE LIF

ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY

A SMART MOVE

Three home cinema and custom integration die-hards call themselves ‘The Smart Trilogy’ and challenge perceived wisdom by opening an impressive city centre emporium. A short walk from Market Place in the City of St Albans, with its delightful concentration of timber-clad and Georgian town houses, lies one of the least expected retail sights. Nestled between Victoria Street’s dental practices and alfresco cafés in this famously affluent area is the convention-breaking, yet sophisticatedlooking façade announcing The Smart Trilogy. Passers-by are certainly starting to discern what sits behind the discreet glass entrance and welcoming parquet-floored reception room.

66 MAY 2022

No doubt drawn to the ‘Cinema, Acoustics,

Richard has been a self-confessed surround

Interiors’ motif on the awning, inquisitive

sound junkie for 35 years and wanted to own his

locals frequently pop their heads in either

own home cinema business ever since taking a

just to say hello or enquire about flat panel

mobile disco on the road in his teens. Even though

display televisions. Co-owner Richard Magnus

he built speakers in his spare time, he joined the fire

is inveterately charming to all, but graciously

service at the age of 24. Ten years ago, he started

explains that his newly opened town centre

to investigate the CI market and thought he could

business is targeted at providing mostly

do a better job than many of the companies out

large-scale

there, so he launched SeriouslyCinema from his

turnkey

home

entertainment environments.

cinema

and

home just a couple of years later.

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Good news for High-End Audio in UK Steinway Lyngdorf becomes its own UK distributor

The world’s most innovative and exquisitely designed audio systems are now available in the UK through a company-owned distributorship and showroom. Steinway Lyngdorf have formed a new distributorship to serve the discerning UK audio market. Steinway Lyngdorf is the only manufacturer of audio products to win the exclusive endorsement of Steinway & Sons, the iconic American piano builder known the world over. Lyngdorf Audio develops, designs, and creates products for high-performance audio enthusiasts seeking the highest quality, most exciting components on the market. Explore at www.steinwaylyngdorf.com

ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR CI PROFESSIONALS SINCE 2000

With business growing exponentially, Richard retired from the fire service last year. SeriouslyCinema had already partnered with Quiet Interiors, of which Mike Arthur was CEO. A former plasterer, Mike’s expertise quickly expanded into soundproofing, acoustics and fabric wall solutions for residential and commercial applications. Exquisitely appropriate for fireman Richard to suggest that he got on with Mike “like a house on fire”, the pair also had the services of a builder and project manager baked in, care of Mike’s brother, Steve Arthur. Richard believes that this trio, or ‘smart trilogy’, represents an unmatched combination of skillsets in the industry, and the result is the opening of the St Albans store. Mike has fitted out many leading recording studios for several famous producers and artists. Among his arsenal of invaluable assets is his knowledge of the Swiss-made BASWA acoustic isolation plaster systems. A very real-world implementation of this ceiling and wall solution is used at The Smart Trilogy store itself, where unwanted action movie noise leakage would

not be appreciated by office workers upstairs. All manner of acoustic fabric and interior colour material options are naturally on display at the Victoria Street location. Although brand names are purposefully omitted from the store frontage, AV equipment expert Richard focuses on M&K Sound and Trinnov as his business drivers. He carries other brands, but his years of experience led him to settle on this combination of hardware to deliver what he feels are the greatest price/performance packages for the finest home cinemas.

SETTING THE STANDARD

The Smart Trilogy sensibly comprises a ‘good, better, best’ floorplan with potential customers first invited to take a seat in the reception area, which doubles as a stylish, up-market living room recreation. An Anthem receiver plus lowprofile M&K 950 Series speaker system flank a 75in display designed to offer just a taster of architectural possibilities. Surround and ceiling speakers are completely concealed behind acoustically transparent and seamless, fauxplaster panels by Barrisol.

MAY 2022 69

ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY

Two different high-performance cinemas can be experienced

Guests are next eagerly coaxed past a starceilinged anteroom (with Planet of the Apes lithograph) into the ‘small cinema’, the first of two complete M&K/Trinnov showcases on the site. This light-rejecting cave with LEDilluminated, ribbed sidewalls immediately inspires a desire to convert bedroom number three or four in one’s commuter belt semi. Except for two rocking M&K X10 subwoofers visible in the left and right corners, all remaining 11 M&K IW-150/950 Series in-walls and inceilings sit behind acoustically transparent, blacker-than-black, luxury fabric. If customers wish to jump up to the next grade, they can choose to step into the company’s premium ‘home theatre’

A warm welcome awaits

70 MAY 2022

room. Richard and his team use M&K’s top-of-the-range IW-300 Series hidden inwalls throughout for absolute soundfield cohesion in a 7.2.8 configuration. The room supports one of Trinnov’s top array layout suggestions where three above-screen channels add an extra layer of audio immersion. Meanwhile, six stacked M&K C15S subwoofers deliver visceral, seatdislodging bass. Both cinema rooms sport carefully selected Lutron lighting and Control 4 systems to oversee smart-home practicalities, and Sony and JVC projectors beam the images onto Screen Excellence acoustically transparent, wall-to-wall fixed frame models.

In a cynical box-shifting internet age, it is refreshing to witness the toils of a passionate team of enthusiasts as they break into the high street. Such a move requires gumption, ambition and, as Richard rightly suggests, “a lot of nerves”. Where so many faceless corporations can hide behind computer monitors and pass the buck, consumers will increasingly need a genuine and accessible solutions provider to hold their hand. The Smart Trilogy might be in the process of reinventing the model for good. With plans to open more locations across the UK, we wish them luck. The Smart Trilogy thesmarttrilogy.co.uk

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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY

Essential Kit List Main Cinema

Small Cinema

• M&K Sound 300 Series System in 7.2.8 Configuration

• M&K S150 Series System in 7.2.4 Configuration

• M&K IW300 LCR x 3

• M&K IW150 LCR x 3

• M&K S300T surrounds x 4

• M&K IW150T Tripole surrounds x 4

• M&K MP300 Front height LCR x 3

• M&K IW950 Top front x 2

• M&K IW300 Top front x 2

• M&K IW959 Top rear x 2

• M&K IW300 Top rear x 2

• M&K X10 L&R subwoofers x 2

• M&K IW300 VOG x 1

• Trinnov Altitude16 processor

• M&K C15S x 6 subwoofers (3 for each L&R stacks)

• Lyngdorf SDA-2400 power amps x 6

• Trinnov Altitude16 preamplifier/processor

• 114in Screen Excellence 16:9 screen

• Lyngdorf SDA-2400 power amps x 8

• Kaleidescape Terra Server 12TB and Strato C player

• Kaleidescape Terra server 12TB and Strato C player

• Sony 560ES projector

• Ineva Design seating

• JVC NZ7 projector

• Acoustic fabric

• 3.7m wide screen excellence 2:40 AT screen

• Control4

• Ineva Design McGarland seating

• Lutron lighting

• Control4 • Lutron lighting • Barissol acoustic fabric

Non-Chinese

FCC NDAA Cyber-Secure

Specified

01908 443 660 contact@LILIN.uk

MAY 2022 73

Become an approved Sonos Become an approved Sonos Installed Solutions partner Installed Solutions partner Sonos is one of The World’s Leading Sound experience brands. We invented multiroom wireless made it sound amazing, and changed people Sonos is one of Theaudio, World’s Leading Sound experience brands. the We way invented listen at home. Known for premium sound, ease of and use,changed thoughtful multiroom wireless audio, made it sound amazing, thedesign, way people and an open platform, we create products and experiences that make listening listen at home. Known for premium sound, ease of use, thoughtful design, simpler and more joyful. and an open platform, we create products and experiences that make listening simpler and more joyful. Sonos innovation powers better listening experiences, We want to continue to workinnovation with the Installer and build on thoseWe successes in the future. Sonos powerscommunity better listening experiences, want to continue From Portable speakers, Home Cinema and Architectural systems, these all to work with the Installer community and build on those successes in the future. benefit when installed by Home an approved From Portable speakers, Cinemainstaller. and Architectural systems, these all benefit when installed by an approved installer.

Sonos Approved Installers win CEDIA Awards. Apply to become an approved Sonos byInstallers emailing win Installed-Solutions-UK@sonos.com Sonos Installer Approved CEDIA Awards. Apply to become an approved or visitInstaller www.sonos.com/dealer/dealer-onboarding Sonos by emailing Installed-Solutions-UK@sonos.com or visit www.sonos.com/dealer/dealer-onboarding

PRODUCTS

RTI GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO 11! New RTI Integration Designer 11 adds a built-in driver store, a new template with custom controls, support for RTI Music and more for residential and commercial applications. RTI claims the new Integration Designer 11 enables technology integrators to achieve faster, more efficient installations with all the advanced customisation for which RTI is renowned. It adds time-saving tools and features, an all-new template, new icons and background libraries, custom sliders, and more to personalise residential and commercial projects. The platform features the all-new ‘Coral’ template with swappable backgrounds, customisable sliders across the touchscreens, scrolling viewports for mobile devices, and new graphics and fonts–all with auto-programming. The now built-in driver store enables integrators to find all drivers without leaving the software and searching on a separate driver site. The integrated system manager (with adaptive auto-programming intelligence) adds efficiency, personalisation and performance to systems of all sizes. And more than ever before, RTI programming is easily reusable, again saving integrators time on all projects. RTI CEO Joe Roberts, says, “Whether it’s a residential or a commercial job, time is money,” RTI integrators can save their programming for reuse on future projects. This ‘rinse and repeat’ convenience helps them start faster on the next

job.” But it’s not just about efficiency; Version 11 of the CEDIA Hall-of-Fame award-winning Integration Designer enables the integrator to personalise and customise solutions that meet every home or business owner’s unique needs. “Integration Designer 11 delivers a beautiful result every time,” says Joe. “But the customised automation behind the scenes is just as important, and on this, Integration Designer stands second to none.”

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RTI rticontrol.com

A brand new platform for the creation and personalisation of RTI projects

DIRAC LIVE OFFERS NEW CURVE Swedish digital audio pioneer Dirac has announced a new auto target curve functionality for its Dirac Live solution that makes it easier to get even better sound quality. Dirac Live will now automatically generate an auto target curve based on a specific sound system’s unique measurements. With this new functionality, operators no longer need in-depth knowledge of room correction to create the best sound possible. Jakob Ågren, Head of Product Management at Dirac, says, “With more mass-market AVRs now offering our breakthrough solution, Dirac Live has gone mainstream. However, when addressing this new, larger audience, it became clear that attaining the optimal sound experience should be as easy as possible. Our new auto target curve eliminates the need for manual adjustments, allowing new users to sit back and enjoy superior sound.” The new auto target curve more reflects the inherent character of the measured system, minus the adverse acoustic effects of the room. Dirac says it gives users a balanced response with a more natural slope, creating more genuine listening experiences. The auto target curve has been designed to ensure the result is lifelike and preserves more of the speakers’ individual flavour, while tightening up performance across the board. Should further tweaking be required to achieve optimal sound, users can then manually adjust

Think Quality

the auto target curve through a new simplified interface in the Dirac Live mobile app. Users simply drag a sound region up or down to increase or decrease its volume. And for all the users who know and love it, the classic filter design will still be available. Available for download now, the newly updated Dirac Live mobile app has also simplified its measuring and adjustment processes to now require fewer steps for users to complete. Currently Dirac Live-enabled devices from NAD, Onkyo, Pioneer, Integra and Pioneer Elite are compatible with the Dirac Live mobile app. Dirac Live dirac.com/live

GOOD 10G TO 100m

HNC 6A CAT 6A 600 MHZ

Dirac’s auto target curve is available first through the Dirac Live mobile app, and the company will announce desktop functionality later this year

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Powering the Leading Multiroom Audio Ecosystem for Custom Installation

Control System Partners

Distributed by

anatech.co.uk

PRODUCTS

REDLINE ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF THE VELODYNE DB-8 Already in receipt of strong reviews, (the rest of the Velodyne DB- family has been available for a few months), it is now the DB-8’s turn to shine and distributor Redline is full of praise for this product after having one on test at company HQ. Martin Morecroft, Managing Director at Redline, explains, “The DB-8 really is a fantastic little sub. It delivers surprisingly deep base for a unit of this size (26 x 28 x 29 cm). Its size and good looks mean it is at home in any space offering genuine placement versatility. The compact dimensions also mean that it can easily be built into bespoke cabinetry for a fully integrated finish in media room and home cinema projects. “Being a Velodyne product, it’s not just the dimensions that are innovative, this is a highperforming sub with excellent timing, which is great at supporting movies but is also fantastic when audio only playback is required. Music fans are going to love the extra dimension it adds to their enjoyment, whatever the style of music being played. Gamers will also be happy with the responsiveness and extra level of audio immersion this thoroughly modern sub delivers.” Martin adds, “It wouldn’t be Redline without us offering some added extra value, so for a small additional cost we can deliver the DB-8 in custom finishes to suit any colour scheme required.”

The DB-8 has been designed to offer intelligence as well as power, with adjustable level, crossover frequency and phase, and the sub can be flexibly adapted to the listening room and existing equipment. Connectivity wise, RCA input jacks are provided for the left and right channels, as well as a dedicated subwoofer input with loop-through capability to match up with whatever system is required.

Kim Donvig, R&D and strategic development, Artcoustic, says, “As Artcoustic approaches its 25th year, we recognised that it was time to reassess the range. With our new rather big changes to the SL and Spitfire Series, we have managed to streamline the Artcoustic offering while maintaining the core Artcoustic DNA. “Our series contained several duplicates of effectively the same products. We have now created two distinct ranges to improve the navigation and selection of our speaker range.” Artcoustic SL Evolve series is a Time Aligned Array (ETAA), which uses a unique and precisely designed solution for dealing with comb filtering and high-frequency array phase overlap. Artcoustic says the ETAA delivers incredible detail and airy sound. The Artcoustic ETAA delivers a throw

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Redline red-line.co.uk With the increase in apartment living and strong competition in general for floor or cabinet space, the DB-8 is an on-trend introduction

NEW EVOLUTION TAKES FLIGHT WITH ARTCOUSTIC SL-EVOLVE AND SPITFIRE RANGES New streamlined versions of the Artcoustic SL Evolve and Artcoustic Spitfire have been announced

Think Quality

distance of well beyond 40 meters making this product a natural evolution within the Artcoustic portfolio. The maker says the design has been optimised in a way that allows Evolve to achieve a near-perfect response curve, without compromising on any of the existing high-end features including extreme sound pressure levels, high sensitivity, extended frequency response, controlled directivity, exceptional speed, and incredible transient response. All in an attractive Danish design. The new Spitfire A4 and A6 models are designed to be modular, enabling a complete, scalable design for any cinema room. Together with the line-up of band-pass subwoofers, the Spitfire series delivers a consistent high-quality cinematic experience. With the Spitfire A4 and A6 combined into large line arrays, Artcoustic says it creates an incredibly dynamic soundstage, and by carefully angling the component parts, phase issues and comb filtering is all but eliminated, with a controlled dispersion over the entire audience. With the Spitfire A4 and A6, installers can build arrays to any scale cinema.

BETTER 48G TO 40m 8K HDMI AOC Full 8K Ultra HD signal transfer 4-core SSF™ Fibre Optic Technology 5m - 40m lengths

Artcoustic artcoustic.com

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MAY 2022 77

Our pledge to the custom install industry

Innovative, class-leading products

Premium support

Managed marketplace

Dedicated training

Minimum three-year warranty

Supported demo programme

*Lithe Audio - Wi-Fi Pro Product Range Only | *Sony-Home Cinema Range Only

www.committedtocustom.com

For more information, please contact your Invision account manager. 01359 270280 | sales@invisionuk.com

PRODUCTS

INT 3 LAUNCHES THE ADORNO CINEMA SERIES

The company’s moto is the only limitation is your imagination

Int 3 introduces the Adorno Cinema Series, a brand-new solution-focused approach to residential cinema design and creation. The Adorno Cinema Series brings to market a solution that is unique in both its design, and ease of installation for dedicated cinema rooms, says the concept’s creator. Initially the offering delivers seven fully designed cinema solutions, integrating Adorno fabric walls, Adorno acoustic tiles and fully customisable, dynamic LED lighting. Every designed solution is bespoke to each project, with fabrics and finishes to define the final look and feel.

The elements that make up the Adorno cinema solutions can be combined for any desired room aesthetic, and when paired with int 3 design services, there is everything required to take an initial idea through to a fully fitted cinema. The company argues the real standout feature of the Adorno Cinema Series is the simplicity of installation, with a complete cinema room solution taking a fraction of the onsite install time of traditional fabric walls, a few days, start to finish. With all int 3 solutions manufactured in the company’s North Yorkshire production facilities fabric walls, acoustic treatments and dynamic LED lighting are integrated seamlessly together so that installation is as straight-forward as possible. With industry expertise, experience and capabilities to design and deliver complex and innovative bespoke projects, Int 3 says it is positioned to deliver an exceptional level of service and execution for clients. Int 3 specialises in providing products and solutions for both residential and commercial integrations. From cinemas to entertainment spaces, recording studios to hotel atriums.

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Int 3 int3.ltd

CRESTRON DM NVX FIRMWARE ENHANCEMENTS DRIVE AVOVER-IP Crestron has announced the latest enhancements to its DM NVX AV-over-IP platform. Since its introduction, DM NVX has evolved with feature-rich firmware updates that consistently deliver a reliable and high-performing solution to customers. Crestron continues to adapt existing solutions with frequent upgrades and enhancements that provide increasing value to both new and existing customers while supporting new use cases and applications. Crestron DM NVX addresses the needs of the most demanding installations from mission-critical government control centres and Esports arenas to corporate boardrooms and demanding entertainment videowalls. “Prioritising our customers’ needs and mapping them to today’s most in-demand feature sets is a true testament to our customer-first approach,” says Andrew Ludke, Senior Director of Product Management, AV Solutions, at Crestron. “This has enabled customers of all sizes and verticals to trust in our DM NVX AV-over-IP platform as a solution that evolves with their needs over time.” The newest DM NVX features include faster refresh rates (up to 240 Hz at 1080p) deliver ultrasmooth fast-motion video, and real-time control of peripherals, such as a mouse, joystick, or game controller and Variable Bit Rate (VBR) encoding optimises network bandwidth consumption across a multitude of spaces.

Think Quality

Also included are custom hot-key shortcuts from your keyboard provide extra convenience and quick access to common or critical commands, such as recalling a pre-set video configuration, source selection, display on/off, and lighting and shading control. The DM NVX architecture is purpose-built and designed to continually add features and functionality making each encoder and decoder more valuable than when customers initially purchased them. Firmware 7 also has added security updates and patches to further enhance our already industry leading support for enterprise grade security standards.

BEST

100G TO 20km Cleerline Fibre Master the world’s most productive fibre technology on Cleerline’s SSF™ Fibre Level 2 Certification Course - May 17 or 18, AM or PM.

Crestron crestron.com

As technologies, behaviours, and demands on collaborative infrastructure continue to evolve, so will Crestron DM NVX

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MAY 2022 79

PRODUCTS

MCINTOSH AND CONTROL4 GET COSY McIntosh has announced that its MX100 AV Processor has implemented Simple Device Discovery Protocol (SDDP) and has received a Connects with Control4 Certification from Control4. Products embedded with SDDP are automatically discoverable by the Control4 platform for easy integration into automated systems. Integrators benefit from SDDP in the MX100 AV Processor in many ways, from reduced installation complexity, configuration time, and costs in Control4 projects, making it a seamless addition for media room and audio systems. Audio is a key part of the Control4 experience, with native support for most streaming services, and high-resolution audio. With Control4 OS 3, all of the devices in a media room, home cinema, or whole home including audio components, speakers, and services are united for simple control from touchscreens, remotes, keypads the Control4 app, and more. “We’re delighted to add the Connects with Control4 Certification to the already custom-install friendly MX100,” says McIntosh President and CEO Charlie Randall. “Many of our other AV Processors have received Control4 Certification and dealers, installers, and customers have been happy with how easy

they can integrate into Control4 automation systems. We’re excited to bring this user experience enhancement to the MX100.” “With SDDP, Control4 customers who choose the McIntosh MX100 A/V Processor benefit from faster installation times and a seamless control experience in their entertainment systems,” comments Noel Gouff, Vice President of Business Development, Snap One. “The processor adds to over 7,500 products in our SDDP ecosystem, enabling a

greater product choice, smooth installation, and seamless integration.” The 11.2 channel unit is designed for modern home cinemas needing digital-only inputs and is well suited for installation in a discrete AV equipment rack with rack-friendly 2U physical dimensions and removable rackmounting brackets. McIntosh mcintoshlabs.com

The MX100 has 4x HDMI inputs, 1x HDMI output and supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG; 4:4:4 colour spacing

LINN LEVERAGES UPGRADE PATHS right up to date with the current Linn software platform featured in Linn’s flagship, nextgeneration Klimax DSM. Designed

without

compromise,

and

engineered entirely in-house, Organik is the manifestation of over 30 years of digital technology innovation and expertise. Gilad Tiefenbrun, Linn’s Managing Director, says: “Our cutting-edge Organik DAC technology offers a massive leap forward in performance. Today, we are delighted to make Organik available as an upgrade to all Klimax streamers bought since 2007. At Linn, we take enormous pride in rewarding our existing customers through our

Organik uses an eight-layer circuit board, facilitating optimal delivery of power and clocks to the DAC

sustainable, upgradeable product offering.” The performance advantage of Organik

Linn has announced the launch of upgrades for

DSM, Klimax 350 integrated loudspeakers,

comes from its combination of Modulation

existing Linn owners. The performance of the

and Klimax Exaktbox all being eligible for

method, Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

company’s first-ever, entirely homegrown DAC,

upgrade with Linn’s revolutionary Organik

Delta-Sigma;

DAC architecture.

Analog Finite Impulse Response (AFIR);

‘Organik’, is now being rolled out as a retrofit upgrade, available for all variants of Klimax DS

The Organik DAC upgrade for Klimax DS

and Klimax DSM– even the very first generation

and Klimax DSM updates these older products

from 2007.

with more than just D/A circuitry; it also features

stage:

Discrete

Implementation: Ultra-stable power, precision clocking, and expert PCB design.

Linn’s premium tier products can all now

Linn’s latest A/D technology and provides

Linn

benefit from this reference performance

support for DSD256 and 24-bit/384kHz

linn.co.uk

technology; with all models of Klimax DS, Klimax

streaming capability. It brings the products

80 MAY 2022

Conversion

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Make Your Gardens Swing! Your customers will fall in love with the highest quality all-weather entertainment systems; durable, ultra-discreet and magical within gardens of any size.

In-Wall • On-Wall • In-Ground • On-Ground

Get in touch for the best in outdoor AV design www.habitech.co.uk | 01256 638500 | sales@habitech.co.uk

One Partner You Can Depend on for All Your Projects Smart Home • Networking • Security • A/V Infrasructure Entertainment • Distributed Audio • Power & Remote Management

Our company anchors its solutions on two award-winning business platforms – Control4 Smart Home OS 3 and OvrC Remote Management - supported by the latest products and innovations from the brands in our portfolio, including Triad, Araknis, Chime, Binary, and Strong.

Learn more about Snap One.

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Essential Install May 2022

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